Northland records fewer than 500 new COVID-19 cases this week

DULUTH — New cases of COVID-19 in the Northland continued to decline for the sixth week in a row March 4-10. The 10-county region recorded 378 new COVID cases in the seven-day period. Last week, the region had 544 cases.

Nine deaths were recorded March 4-10 in the Northland, including four in St. Louis County, three in Itasca County and one each in Carlton and Douglas counties.

In St. Louis County, 13 people were hospitalized March 4-10 with COVID and three people were admitted to an intensive care unit, according to St. Louis County Public Health. As of March 10, 16 people have been hospitalized with COVID this month and three have been admitted to an ICU.

The Minnesota Department of Health and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services do not provide the vaccination status of individuals who die or are hospitalized due to COVID.

New cases in Northland counties March 4-10:

• Aitkin — 10.
• Carlton — 38.
• Cook — 4.
• Itasca — 56.
• Koochiching — 6.
• Lake — 12.
• St. Louis — 200.
• Ashland — 6.
• Bayfield — 15.
• Douglas — 31.

Sixty-two Minnesota schools in the Northland have COVID outbreaks.

The following schools listed have five or more confirmed cases in students or staff who were in the building while infectious during a two-week reporting period, the Minnesota Department of Health reported Thursday:

• Duluth: Bay View Elementary, Congdon Elementary, Denfeld High School, Marshall School, East High School, Homecroft Elementary, Laura MacArthur Elementary, Lester Park Elementary, Lincoln Park Middle School, Lowell Elementary, Myers-Wilkins Elementary, North Star Academy,* Ordean East Middle School, Piedmont Elementary, Pike Lake Elementary, Stella Maris Academy (St. John's campus) and Stowe Elementary.
• Hermantown: Hermantown Elementary, Hermantown Middle School and Hermantown Senior High.
• Proctor: A.I. Jedlicka Middle School and Proctor Senior High.
• Aurora: Mesabi East Elementary and Mesabi East Secondary.
• Barnum: Barnum Elementary and Barnum Secondary.
• Carlton: South Terrace Elementary and Carlton Secondary.
• Chisholm: Vaughn Elementary.
• Cloquet: Churchill Elementary, Cloquet Senior High, Cloquet Middle School and Washington Elementary.
• Coleraine: Greenway Senior High.
• Cook: North Woods Secondary.
• Culver: South Ridge Elementary and South Ridge Secondary.
• Deer River: Deer River Secondary.*
• Ely: Memorial High School.
• Esko: Winterquist Elementary and Lincoln Secondary.
• Grand Rapids: East Rapids Elementary, Robert J. Elkington Middle School, West Rapids Elementary, Grand Rapids Senior High and Washington Elementary.
• Hibbing: Assumption Catholic School, Greenhaven Elementary, Lincoln Elementary School and Hibbing High School.
• International Falls: Falls Elementary and Falls Secondary.
• Keewatin: Keewatin-Nashwauk Elementary.
• Mountain Iron: Mountain Iron-Buhl Secondary.*
• Nashwauk: Nashwauk Secondary.
• Silver Bay: William Kelley Secondary.
• Two Harbors: Minnehaha Elementary and Two Harbors Secondary.
• Virginia: Parkview Elementary, Roosevelt Elementary and Virginia Secondary.
• Wrenshall: Wrenshall Secondary.

* indicates newly added school.

Of the 378 new cases in the Northland this week, 200 were in St. Louis County, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. Last week, there were 299 cases in the county.

Cases in St. Louis County cities March 4-10, according to St. Louis County Public Health:

• Duluth — 170.
• Hibbing — 29.
• Virginia — 25.
• Chisholm — 14.
• Hermantown — 12.
• Ely, Saginaw — 11 each.
• Eveleth — 8.
• Mountain Iron — 5.

All other cities in St. Louis County recorded fewer than five cases this week.
As of March 4, the county's seven-day testing positivity rate was 3.2%, up 0.5% from last week. The county reported results from 6,246 tests March 4-10. Only laboratory tests — not at-home or rapid tests — are included in the data.

According to data from St. Louis County Public Health, 60 cases were recorded in people younger than 20 in the seven-day period March 4-10. People age 20-24, 30-34 and 55-59 had the most cases per age group in the county, with 30 people in each age category testing positive.

Carlton County logged 38 new cases March 4-10. Last week, the county had 42 reported cases. The county's weekly positivity rate was 2.8%.

New cases in Carlton County ZIP codes March 4-10, according to Minnesota Department of Health data:

• Cloquet — 18.
• Esko — 7.

All other cities in Carlton County recorded fewer than five cases this week.
All Minnesota Northland counties had positive test rates below 5% this week. Itasca County's positive test rate was the highest at 4.7%. Only laboratory tests, not at-home or rapid tests, are included in the data.

In the last week, 129 more people received a first dose of COVID vaccine in the Northland, and 277 people became fully vaccinated.

As of March 4, 269,5638 residents have received at least one dose of COVID vaccine — about 68% of the Northland's total population — and 255,537 residents are fully vaccinated — about 64% of the total Northland population.

According to the Minnesota Department of Health, 147,851 Minnesota Northlanders are updated with their COVID vaccinations and boosters. According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, 28,359 Wisconsin Northlanders have received a booster dose.

Percentage of people with at least one vaccine dose in each county (includes entire county population):

• Aitkin — 61%.
• Carlton — 70%.
• Cook — 87%.
• Itasca — 59%.
• Koochiching — 57%.
• Lake — 71%.
• St. Louis — 69%.
• Ashland — 70%.
• Bayfield — 75%.
• Douglas — 68%.