WTIP talks with Lake County officials about first confirmed case of COVID-19

The first case of the new coronavirus has been confirmed in Lake County, home to Two Harbors, Finland, Silver Bay and other communities near and on the North Shore.

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) confirmed Lake County’s first identified case of COVID-19 on May 6. It will be updated on the MDH statewide report and map May 7.

“The appearance of the virus in Lake County has been expected,” said Lake County Emergency Management Director BJ Kohlstedt. “Lake County Emergency Management and Lake County Health and Human Services have been working closely with the Minnesota Department of Health on preparation and mitigation efforts for several months.”

The infected person is an adult resident of Lake County in their 50s. MDH is working to identify and notify all those who may have come in contact with the infected person. Those people will be asked to quarantine themselves for 14 days from their exposure and will be monitored for fever and respiratory symptoms. No other information about the infected person will be released.

WTIP’s Joe Friedrichs spoke with Kohlstedt about the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Lake County.