3, 2, 0

The numbers 3, 2 and 0 take on new significance this week for the zip code areas (city/rural) of Belgrade, Brooten and Elrosa: 56312, 56316 and 56325.

The number three represents the new COVID-19 cases confirmed amongst the (approx.) 2,622 residents of the Belgrade zip code area by the Minnesota Department of Health in the past week's reporting period.

The number two represents the new COVID-19 cases confirmed amongst the (approx.) 1,466 residents of the Brooten zip code area by the Minnesota Department of Health in the past week's reporting period. This comes on the heels of a two-week gap where no COVID-19 cases flared up in the rural and city population of Brooten. Over the past six weeks, five COVID-19 cases have been reported in the Brooten zip code.

The number zero represents the new COVID-19 cases confirmed amongst the (approx.) 197 residents of the village of Elrosa by the Minnesota Department of Health in the past week's reporting period. By my count, we're going on 10 weeks or so since the last COVID-19 case was confirmed in Elrosa. The last time a COVID-19 case was reported there, the calendar showed the period of December 10 to 16, 2020.

Of the five local cases in the immediate area, it is unknown if any of the five are sick or just "asymptomatic".

For what it's worth, for the area of Willmar (population 23,000+), they had just 14 cases reported across the past week.

I just scanned other area zip codes and saw very significantly low increases as follows:

Kandiyohi - plus three;

Kerkhoven - plus two;

Murdock - plus zero;

New London - plus one;

Pennock - plus two;

Spicer - plus one;

Sunburg - plus zero.

More to come.