Health Officials Stress Best Practices As New Wave Of COVID Hits

ST. CLOUD -- Local health officials say the recent surge in COVID-19 cases in Stearns County was expected as more businesses and services reopened.

CentraCare spokesperson Dr. George Morris says more services became available, people were so eager to get back to normal, we forgot we were still in the middle of a global pandemic.

People were so used to going only 10 mph, because of all the restrictions. Then we started opening up and people starting going 90 mph with lots of gatherings, minimal mask wearing. That lead too these outbreaks.

According to the Minnesota Department of Health, Stearns County has had over 100 new cases in the last four days.

Morris says they are seeing a number of young adults contracting the virus. He says it's a good reminder that COVID-19 doesn't just affect the older population.

We've had people in that young age category really sick, on ventilators and seriously ill. So there isn't a zero risk even for the young people.

Even with the recent surge, Morris says the number of people hospitalized has remained low, which is a positive.

He says if we want to continue to see the dial move forward instead of moving back, we need to remember to keep wearing our masks out in public, social distance and wash our hands.