GRAND PORTAGE, Minn. (AP)–Wildlife experts are searching for the virus that causes COVID-19 in deer, bears, moose and wolves in Minnesota’s north woods. They are among researchers around the world trying to figure out how and where wildlife is spreading the coronavirus at a time when international health agencies are calling for greater tracking of infected animals. Scientists are deeply…
DULUTH, Minn. – When Essentia Health opens their new outpatient surgery center at Miller Hill Mall this summer, the Minnesota Nurses Association does not want them to stop nurses from possibly unionizing. They want the medical provider to publicly pledge neutrality on this matter, since the current bargaining agreement between the two would not cover the new facility. “We believe that…
AP — Minnesota is launching a new online program to provide free at-home rapid COVID-19 tests. Beginning Tuesday, Minnesotans can order two test kits per home for a total of four tests via mn.gov/covid19. The state has secured 500,000 of the test kits and will make them available until the supply runs out. Minnesota will use the program as a…
AP-U.S. regulators on Tuesday authorized another COVID-19 booster for people age 50 and older, a step to offer extra protection for the most vulnerable in case the coronavirus rebounds. The Food and Drug Administration’s decision opens a fourth dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines to that age group at least four months after their previous booster. Until now, the…
DULUTH, Minn.- Getting fitted for medical garments post-surgery or procedure can feel like a dry expressionless experience. But the folks at Heide’s Mastectomy Store in Duluth are hoping to change that. “So it feels almost like a boutique but we bill insurance for the products,” said Nicole Wrazidlo, a mastectomy fitter and Lymphedema master fitter. The mastectomy and compression store…
DULUTH, Minn.– Duluth’s Ecolibrium3 has been awarded more than 800-thousand dollars to address economic, educational and health disparities in the Lincoln Park Neighborhood. The money is coming from the Department of Employment and Economic Development. It’ll fund three construction projects including a small-footprint grocery store with fresh produce on W Superior St. This effort will help to close the gap…
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The bird flu has been confirmed in two poultry flocks in Minnesota. The state Board of Animal Health says the poultry flocks are in Meeker and Mower counties. Samples collected from both flocks were tested on March 25 and confirmed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture The state Board of Animal Health says it’s the first confirmed…
DULUTH, Minn. – Allergy season is already underway for some people in the Northland. While pollen numbers won’t pick up until April and May, Dr. Minto Porter, an allergist and immunologist with Essentia Health, says outdoor molds starts to increase once snow starts to melt and humidity levels rise. “Patients will probably have more difficulty if they go into spring already…
DULUTH, Minn.–The University of Wisconsin-Superior’s free COVID-19 testing site will close to the public on April 1. The testing site is operated in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services in the Marcovich Wellness Center. The clinic will remain open for UW-Superior staff and students. Other COVID-19 testing sites are located within area pharmacies and health care clinics. Categories:…
DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth’s Enger Tower is lit red Monday night for World Down Syndrome Day. This is the 10th anniversary of the day, which was created by the United Nations. There are roughly 4,200 Minnesotans with Down syndrome. The Minnesota Department of Public Health estimates that 116 babies are born with Down syndrome each year, which involves an extra…
VIRGINIA, Minn. — Essentia Health is teaming up with Rock Ridge Public Schools in Virginia to create what they call “education-to-employment student scholarships.” Essentia is setting aside $300,000 for scholarships for students who pursue education after high school for certain career opportunities in healthcare. Those jobs range from respiratory therapists to radiology, surgical, and medical lab technicians, and more. The…
DULUTH, Minn. — The whole nation is turning a corner in the fight against covid-19, and here in the Twin Ports it’s bringing some relief to healthcare workers who were overworked the past few months. We are still coming down from that surge that happened earlier this year due to the combined omicron and delta variants but those in the…
SUPERIOR, Wis. – After seeing a surge in COVID cases in January, Douglas County say they have dropped to levels not seen since last summer. That is allowing health officials to change their focus on how they respond to new cases, as well as their messaging to slow its spread. “We’re seeing definitely a decline in cases overall, which has been…
DULUTH, Minn. – If you like to bowl and want to help those in need of food, Hunger Bowl Twin Ports is the place to be this weekend. Saturday’s bowling tournament at the newly remodeled Superior Lanes in Superior is part of a big fundraising effort for Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank, with the help of nearly 50 insurance…
DULUTH, Minn. — Essentia Health is getting ready to open its new outpatient surgery center at the Miller Hill Mall this summer. The Miller Hill Surgery Center will take over the empty building that sears left behind. The 41,000 square-foot building will have 12 operating rooms. The goal is to offer a place where patients can go home in less…
DULUTH, Minn. – Frontline pandemic healthcare workers at St. Luke’s Hospital got the chance to hit the ice with their families at the DECC Sunday for free. FOX 21 Photojournalist Mason Kroll takes us to this appreciation skating party. Categories: Community, Coronavirus, Health, Minnesota, News, News – Latest News
DULUTH, Minn.- Masks will now be optional for students and staff in the Duluth Public School District. Superintendent John Magas says as of Thursday covid-19 community levels are low in St. Louis County. Under medium levels, the district would recommend mask-wearing in buildings and on buses, and under high levels, staff and students would have to mask up again. Magas…
DULUTH, Minn.- The interior of Essentia’s Vision Northland redevelopment is taking shape and we have got an inside look at the inside of the building. Last week contractors marked the milestone of the multi-million dollar project being fully-enclosed. This means the exterior was largely completed, and crews got started on casework, flooring, painting, and more. The project is now 72%…
DULUTH, Minn.- The Boys and Girls Clubs of the Northland received a generous donation to support the mental health access program. Essentia Health donated $35,000 thousand dollars to support the growing program. The grant helps with the costs of adding a full-time behavioral health coordinator position to oversee the program. “For outpatient services to come on-site and see the youth…
DULUTH, Minn. – A local wellness center gathered to hold a prayer service Thursday night to express their compassion for Ukraine and the world. In Harmony Reiki and Inner Wellness held a non-denominational prayer to give people a voice to their inter peace. The owner, Debbie Merrick, said she thinks the community needed a place to meditate and draw positive…
DULUTH, Minn. – Minnesota’s March FoodShare Month has kicked off, and local food shelves like chum are hoping for — and in need of — a lot of donations to get them through the coming months. Officials with CHUM Food Shelf said they hope to surpass the record of $220,000 and 56,000 pounds of food gathered last year. But since the…
DULUTH, Minn. — From London to Milwaukee, to Minneapolis — structures are being lit blue and yellow in support of Ukraine. But in Duluth, its most iconic structure, the Aerial Lift Bridge, is not. Mayor Emily Larson is instead sticking with the usual lighting of the less-visible Enger Tower, which went blue and yellow over the weekend after community requests…
DULUTH, Minn. – Starting Monday, the Minnesota FoodShare March Campaign begins for food shelves across Minnesota. And for the Salvation Army in Duluth, the donations couldn’t come any sooner. Through April 10, people are urged to donate non-perishable food and even cash so they can buy more food at a lower price from area food banks. The Salvation Army says…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Wisconsin prisons will allow in-person visits again beginning next week as COVID-19 cases continue to decline. Department of Corrections officials said Friday that they will reopen their facilities to visitors starting Tuesday. The prison system initially closed its doors to visitors in March 2020 as the pandemic was taking hold. The DOC reopened to visits in…
CLOQUET, Minn.- COVID-19 cases continue to decline across much of the country. FOX 21’s Brett Scott got an update on the situation in the Cloquet region from Rick Breuer, CEO of Cloquet Memorial Hospital. Categories: Coronavirus, Health, Minnesota, News, News – Latest News Tags: Community Memorial Hospital, Rick Breuer
Categories: Health Tags: Cardiovascular Disease, health, Heart Health, Local News
GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. – New COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in Itasca County continue to decline, but public health officials warn residents they’re not out of the woods just yet. Kelly Chandler, Division Manager with Itasca County Public Health, says with the spread of the Omicron variant, the county has experienced difficult fall and winter months. Just over 62 percent of…
DULUTH, Minn. — With the Duluth mask mandate ending Saturday, businesses are looking forward to serving their community face to face, once again. “We are now moving not towards ending this pandemic, but finding ways to co-exist with it,” Duluth Mayor Emily Larson said. The past 30 days, Duluth has had to mask up in attempts of trying to slow…
(University of Minnesota) DULUTH, Minn. – The University of Minnesota has announced it will end its vaccine mandate Wednesday for large campus and athletic events. This includes UMD men’s and women’s hockey and basketball games. The policy had been in place since Jan. 26, but in a letter from U of M President Joan Gabel Tuesday, she credits a decrease…
CLOQUET, Minn. – It was a busy Tuesday at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College. It was a campus visit day for prospective students, and the college’s annual Nursing and Healthcare Expo. Everyone who attended, from current and future students to members of the public, got their chance to learn more about what opportunities are available in health care. The…
DULUTH, Minn. — Nurses are joining Minnesota lawmakers, desperately urging support for a bill to address the short staffing and retention of employees in hospitals statewide. The “Keeping Nurses at The Bedside” Act is being introduced to correct an already-existing staffing crisis, nurses say existed long before the pandemic. The bill hopes to set a maximum number of patients any…
DULUTH, MN – It’s the first Friday of National Heart Month and across the country, people are wearing red to raise awareness of cardiovascular disease. Heart disease is still the number one killer of both women and men in the United States. By raising awareness early in the month, the rest of February can be spent doing things to reduce…
DULUTH, Minn. – Minnesota Senator Tina Smith (D) is trying her hardest to make sure veterans have quick, easy access to obtaining care for hearing loss. Smith recently introduced legislation to reduce the red tape many vets face when trying to get care for hearing loss as a result of their service. Right now, if veterans wish to receive benefits…
DULUTH, Minn. – February is known as American Heart Month. It’s a time when people of all ages are encouraged to focus on their cardiovascular health. The Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention is shining a light on hypertension (high blood pressure), a leading risk factor for heart disease and stroke. The Division is committed to addressing barriers to…
DULUTH, Minn.- A new University of Minnesota academic health center could be a part of the skyline of Duluth’s medical district, with legislative approval being the green light for design work to start this summer. “Duluth has always provided really great healthcare and the challenges that exist now to keep people in their community to be served really that’s one…
DULUTH, Minn. – Essentia Health has joined a nationwide study to evaluate repurposed medications in the search for effective, safe treatments for mild-to-moderate COVID-19. Repurposed medications are those already approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for other indications. “We are very excited and fortunate to have this important clinical trial available to the communities we serve,” said Dr. Rajesh…
DULUTH, Minn. — UMD is offering a vaccine clinic to the campus community and beyond this week. The university has partnered with Saint Louis County Public Health for past vaccine clinics where the turnouts have exceeded expectations. This time around they will have Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson shots on hand, whether you want to come in for your…
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Tina Smith is teaming up with another Democrat and two Republicans to push legislation that would encourage more people to stay in the public health industry. The lawmakers say that more people are leaving certain sectors of the field, causing a shortage of much-needed employees. The director of the CDC says America is short about 80,000…
CLOQUET, Minn. — It’s been nearly a week after Duluth mandated masks around the city, and a neighboring town is now doing the same. Last week the Cloquet Community Memorial Hospital was “crisis planning”, for a wave of covid patients, and now this week, they were sending letters to the mayor supporting a mask mandate. The Community Memorial Hospital in…
DULUTH, Minn.- As the new Vision Northland building for Essentia Health goes up in Duluth the decades-old St. Mary’s Hospital will come down. Essentia Health says the Medical Center will be demolished on East Third Street after the new building is ready for care in the third quarter of 2023. The oldest part of St. Mary’s hospital is almost 100…
DULUTH, Minn. – Life 97.3 and St. Luke’s Hospital have partnered again to throw the 4th annual Northland’s Largest Baby Shower. Throughout the month of January, Life 97.3 is encouraging its audience to donate typical baby shower items that will ultimately benefit a number of organizations spread across the Northland that are helping families in need. Below is a list…
DULUTH, Minn. — A one-of-a-kind local sauna experience hit its 2 year anniversary this month and continues to help people decompress, reduce stress, and feel rejuvenated on the shores of Lake Superior. The Cedar and Stone Nordic Sauna in Canal Park is a traditional Nordic sauna inspired from Duluth’s Finnish history. It’s an indoor wood fired sauna that runs between…
DULUTH, Minn. — Fans have gotten used to wearing masks here at Amsoil arena, but in a few weeks, they’re going to have to bring one extra thing to allow them to come support the Bulldogs. Friday, the President of the University Of Minnesota System announced a new temporary change across their 5 campuses — proof of vaccination or a…
DULUTH, Minn. – While the City of Duluth is resuming its mask mandate Friday evening, mask requirements are nothing new for students, faculty, and staff at UMD. People have been asked to wear one, regardless of vaccination status, inside campus buildings since early August. For some students, wearing a mask elsewhere in the city will help keep everyone safe from the…
DULUTH, Minn. – The start of the spring semester at UMD saw one recent student begin an effort to end the vaccine requirement to attend classes. Lucius Lafromboise is protesting against the form required by the University of Minnesota system that identifies a person’s vaccination status, or list a medical or religious exemption against getting one. He chose not to fill…
CLOQUET, Minn. — Doctors from the Community Memorial Hospital met on Thursday to “crisis plan”, concerned that the latest surge of the Omicron variant might overwhelm medical facilities. Crisis planning is to prepare the hospitals, and make a course of action in case they become overwhelmed and have to send patients elsewhere. But with so many medical facilities bogged down…
DULUTH, Minn. — The president of the University of Minnesota System announced a new temporary change to how they are allowing people into events with more than 200 people. The university system, across the 5 campuses in the state, will be requesting proof of vaccination or a negative test 72 hours prior to the event in order to attend. This…
DULUTH, Minn. — Just days after the Duluth City Council was unable to unanimously vote to pass a new city-wide mask mandate, and after councilors agreed Mayor Emily Larson should take the lead on emergency orders of that kind, Larson stepped to the podium Thursday afternoon announcing just that — a new mask mandate for the next 30 days effective…
DULUTH, Minn. — St. Louis County’s Public Health Director, Amy Westbrook, spoke in support of Duluth’s mask mandate Thursday, and the county released a statement on its take on a possible county wide mask mandate. Westbrook, along with Essentia’s Chief Medical Officer, pointed to growing concerns over hospitalization rates. Out of the 342 hospital beds at Essentia in Duluth, 58…
Wisconsin healthcare systems are still under pressure due to the increase of COVID cases and staffing shortages. In Wisconsin, 95 percent of intensive and intermediate care beds are currently in use, and 13,000 thousand new cases were reported in the state. To provide relief to Wisconsin hospitals, since October, DHS has recruited 626 new healthcare workers, and the state is…
