Current Situation/Press Releases

Current Situation

Not all cases of COVID-19 are tested. The Minnesota Department of Health posts, by county, current lab confirmed cases on its website. There are lab confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 in Rice County.
The first case in the United States was announced on January 21, 2020. A map of the current number of cases by state is maintained by the CDC.
Health officials confirmed the first case in Minnesota on March 6, 2020.
The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Rice County was on March 18^th, 2020.
Local public health does not have authority to share private health data, which includes the address of those who test positive with COVID-19, or any other identifying information. Such sharing is a violation of the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, Minn. Stat.13.09 (a) and (b).

Rice County COVID-19 Case Data

TOTAL CUMULATIVE BOTH CONFIRMED AND PROBABLE: 6,157
- Newly reported from Wednesday: 50
- Cases no longer needing isolation (Weekly MDH report on Thursdays): 5,851
DEMOGRAPHIC BREAKDOWN OF BOTH CONFIRMED AND PROBABLE CASES
- Female: 2,606; Male: 3,551
- Age range: 1 month - 104 years (Average age 40 years old)
- Ever hospitalized: 224
  - Age range: 3 months - 98 years (Average age 62 years old)
  - Need for Intensive Care Unit (ICU): 42 of 224 hospitalized
    - Age range: 3 months - 95 years (Average age 62 years old)
- Living Setting Type: Private Residence 2,933; Prison 1,115; Blank 1,794; Long Term Care (LTC) 190; Group Home 22; College/University/Dormitory 79; Other/Boarding School 23; Jail 1
- Case Zip Code Address: Faribault 3,983; Northfield 1,218; Lonsdale 421; Morristown 131; Dundas 119; Webster 87; Nerstrand 61; Kilkenny 33; Warsaw 34; Montgomery 28; Veseli 10; Kenyon 10; Other 22
COVID-19 DEATHS
- Confirmed (PCR Test) 55; Probable (Antigen Test) 14; Total Deaths 69
- Age range: 24 years - 104 years (Average age both Confirmed and Probable Deaths: 79 years old)
- Living Setting Type for all COVID Deaths: LTC 42; Private Residence 21; Prison 6

*Last Updated: January 21, 2021

*Rice County Case Information updated Monday through Friday, excluding holidays on this web page. Weekend updates can be found on the MDH site at: https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/situation.html. Discrepancies between the two sites are attributable to reporting cut off times.

Additional Weekly Data Updates - Thursdays

Rice County 14 - Day Case Rate per 10,000 People

The Minnesota Departments of Education and Health put together guidance for local school districts and charter schools to help guide their decisions about which learning model to use to start the school year. As the school year progresses, other pieces of data are to be considered. The governor's office publishes a weekly report with the 14-day case rate by county for use by school districts as well and it can be accessed here Rice County Schools Rice County Schools Rice County Schools Rice County Schools Rice County Schools Rice County Schools. Rice County Public Health is calculating the 14-day case rate using more recent data. This rate, because it is more recent, is preliminary and may change as case and contact investigations continue.

Recommended policy options based on 14-day case rate range

Policy Option	Range (14-day case rate per 10,000 people)	Rice County’s 14-day case rate per 10,000 people for the time period January 3, 2021- January 16, 2021 60.06
In-person learning for all	0 to less than 10
Elementary in-person, Middle/HS hybrid	10 to less than 20
Both hybrid	20 to less than 30
Elementary hybrid, Middle/HS distance	30 to less than 50
Both distance	50 or more