The Minnesota Department of Health confirmed the first official death of a Crow Wing County resident due to COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
Health officials informed the county of the death Monday, April 27, and said the resident is a man in his 70s.
“Our condolences go out to this man’s family and friends,” Crow Wing County Board Chairman Paul Koering said in a news release. “This Crow Wing County death reminds us how important it is to continue working to protect each other during this outbreak.”
The Crow Wing County Public Health team continues to work closely with the Minnesota Department of Health to follow recommended guidelines to slow the spread of COVID-19 in county communities, according to county officials.
“We’ve all seen reports of outbreak-related deaths in other states and counties in Minnesota. This is another sad milestone in the battle against COVID-19 in our community,” Koering said.
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In a majority of cases, COVID-19 causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever, cough and shortness of breath, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, and new loss of taste or smell. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.
According to the World Health Organization, those with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with severe cases may take three to six weeks to recover. They also suggest following the same steps for avoiding the flu:
Stay home and away from others if you are sick.
Cover your coughs and sneezes with your elbow or a tissue.
Wash your hands frequently for 20 seconds with soap and water.
Avoid touching your face.
The Minnesota Department of Health has set up COVID-19 Hotlines available daily. For school and childcare questions, call 651-297-1304 or 1-800-657-3504 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Those with health questions can call 651-201-3920 or 1-800-657-3903 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Visit
www.cdc.gov
and
www.health.state.mn.us
for more information about COVID-19
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