Itasca County Confirms First Case of COVID-19

ITASCA COUNTY, Minn. – Minnesota health officials confirmed the first case of COVID-19 in Itasca County on Sunday.

According to the Itasca County Health and Human Services, the individual is in their 60’s.

“At this point, there has been no request for the County to provide any essential services to this person. The Minnesota Department of Health will conduct contact investigations and make recommendations to those individuals based on their interviews,” Kelly Chandler, Itasca County Public Health Division Manager said. “We encourage everyone to continue to follow the recommendations of medical experts on how best to protect themselves and contain the spread of this virus.”

In a majority of cases, COVID-19 causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever, cough, and shortness of breath. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.

“If you have mild symptoms of fever, cough or shortness of breath, please stay home and self-quarantine. If your symptoms get worse, please contact your health care provider for further guidance, which may include staying home and self-monitoring, a virtual visit or an in-person visit,” says Dr. Dan Soular, Family Medicine Physician and Vice President of Medical Affairs at Grand Itasca Clinic & Hospital.