Carlton County cases stay low

Carlton County Covid-19 case numbers increased by 37 cases over the past week, and there have been no new deaths in at least two weeks.

As of Feb. 10, Carlton County had seen a cumulative total of 2,946 Covid-19 cases with 43 deaths, according to the most recent numbers from the Minnesota Department of Health. Also Wednesday, the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa reported a total of 196 positive tests so far — unchanged in two weeks — with 92 of those on the reservation, also the same as the previous two weeks.

The state’s Feb. 4 report by zip code showed most Carlton County zip codes with few new cases. There were zero new cases in Sawyer, Holyoke and Kettle River. Cromwell, Wrenshall and Barnum each saw one new case. Carlton increased by three cases. Cloquet reported 1345 cumulative cases, up 28 cases from the week before. Esko reported 385 cases, an increase of 10. Moose Lake was at 414 cases, up by two in the Feb. 4 report.

In terms of the rate of positive cases, Carlton County now has a cumulative rate of 4.9 percent: that’s the average rate of positive cases per 10,000 people since testing began last spring. The percent of positive cases from Jan. 17-23 (the most recent dates available) dropped to 2.4 percent, from 2.7 percent the week before.

The state’s Covid measurement for schools dropped to 23.64 per 10,000 people from Jan. 10-23, down from 30.67 cases in the last report.

New Perspective-Cloquet is currently the only Carlton County facility on the state’s list of senior living facilities that have or had Covid-19 exposure in the last 28 days.