6, 0, 0

The numbers 6, 0 and 0 take new significance for the Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa community. For the latest one-week period, the zip code areas of Belgrade, Brooten and Elrosa (population ~ 4,285) had a total of six COVID-19 cases added to the cumulative case load. These numbers were reported to the Minnesota Department of Health for the period of Thursday, January 7 through Wednesday, January 13.

*Remember: a case is not always an infection. Some "cases" are reported but are just a detection of the presence of virus after the PCR test cycled far past the point where the result should be taken seriously.

On the flip side, I believe that a case on the local front is generally due to a person who showed real symptoms and who was in fear that a COVID infection could lead to a bad outcome. I know this: locally, most people would not get tested unless they absolutely had to. (You can ask around and see if I'm right or wrong on that!)

New COVID cases by zip code:

Belgrade 56312 - 6

Brooten 56316 - 0

Elrosa 56325 - 0

The numbers are very significant considering that by now we should be seeing a "Christmas surge" on the reports. I'm sure weeks from now, state "leaders" will be still saying "Well, well, well we have to be on guard for a Christmas surge of cases from all the people who were naughty over the Christmas holidays."

Back to the COVID reports...

NO new cases for the Sunburg zip code (population is 707)...and last week they reported just one new case for the December 31 through January 6 period.

To the west, the Glenwood zip code (population 5,500+) saw a noteworthy uptick of 20 new cases.

To the west of Glenwood, the zip code area of Starbuck (population 2,458) saw a total of four new cases reported. They had five new cases reported the week before that.

To the west of Starbuck, the zip code area of Cyrus (population 496) saw no new cases reported. They had one new case reported the week before that. Cyrus has one of the lowest total case counts in west central Minnesota with just 28 cumulative cases dating back to January 2020. Their "case" rate for population is 5.6 percent.

To the west of Cyrus, the zip code area of Morris (population 6,807) saw a total of 14 new cases reported. The week before, that the Morris area had 11 new cases reported.

To the north, a total of 12 new cases were reported for Sauk Centre's zip code area (population 7,778).

To the north and east, the Melrose zip code area (population 5,868) reported just nine new cases.

To the north and west, the Villard zip code area (population 928) reported no new cases. The week before, they reported three new cases.

To the east, the zip code area of Paynesville (population 5,844) reported 11 new cases.

To the southeast, the zip code area of New London (population 4,797) reported 12 new cases.

To the south of New London, the zip code area of Spicer (population 4,696) reported nine new cases.

To the south of Spicer, the zip code area of Willmar (population 23,173) reported just 18 new cases. That is rather eye opening and also promising as the Willmar schools look to reopen for hybrid learning on January 18.

To the southeast of Spicer, the zip code area of Kandiyohi (population 928) had no new cases. They also had no new cases the week before.

To the south, the zip code area of Pennock (population 1,271) reported just 3 new cases.

To the southwest, the zip code area of Kerkhoven (population 1,238) reported no new cases. They reported just one new cases the week before that. Also, for the December 24 to December 30, the Kerkhoven area reported one new cases. Those three weeks of numbers show a dramatic slow down compared to the December 17 to December 23 period, when they had 17 new cases reported.

To the southwest, the zip code area of Murdock (population 1,196) reported 6 new cases. Last week they reported seven new cases, but the week prior to that (December 24 through December 30) had one new case reported.

To the southwest, the zip code area of Benson (population 4,693) reported just four new cases. They reported 6 new cases the week before that. For the December 24-December 30 period, they reported 4 new cases.

That's the latest run down.

*Update: click on the following (short) link to read a press release from the Glacial Ridge Health System in Glenwood (with clinics in Starbuck and Brooten) = https://bit.ly/3ssTsMX. The press release talks about updated information related to the COVID-19 vaccine.