The Sleepy Eye Herald Dispatch
Brown County Public Health Director Karen Moritz is a busy person as she and the BCPH staff manage so many aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic in our area. Despite their busy schedule, Moritz also answers the questions of local journalists to help provide the latest information to the public.
This week, Moritz had a bit of good news as she reported Brown County is seeing lower case numbers for the last 10 days.
“We would like to thank the Brown County residents for following COVID-19 prevention guidelines and the businesses that are on pause to help slow the spread of the illness,” said Mortiz.
cschuldt@nujournal.com
NEW ULM Downtown New Ulm will have to wait a little longer to experience a holiday-themed haunted House.
“A Krampus Christmas” presented by New Ulm Nightmares has been canceled. The haunted house event was scheduled for this Saturday at 21 S. Minnesota Street but organizer Doug Hughes was informed by Brown County Public Health that the event was restricted due to Gov. Tim Walz’s extended restriction on indoor entertainment. Hughes said this would not be the end of the haunted holiday fun, but it would be delayed. He said The Grinch and Krampus would instead join Santa Claus at the Brown County Fairgrounds for the special holiday drive-through.
cschuldt@nujournal.com
NEW ULM The new orders on COVID-19 restrictions from Gov. Tim Walz will take effect Saturday at midnight allowing gyms to reopen (with limited participation) and youth sports practices to continue on Jan. 4.
In Walz’s executive order, he said Minnesota “Is starting to see the results of our efforts. Although daily case counts are still dangerously high, new cases reported by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) have decreased in recent days.”
Brown County has also seen the number of cases start to dial back, but the number of deaths continues to climb. Three new deaths due to COVID-19 were reported by Brown County Public Health on Wednesday, bringing the county total to 26.
fbusch@nujournal.com
BROWN COUNTY Â Brown County Public Health Director Karen Moritz said her department has been challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic, but it is ready to meet the coming challenges of a mass vaccination in the coming months.
“We’re prepared to take the vaccine as soon as it is shipped. With its ultra-cold storage capacity, New Ulm Medical Center will be a distribution hub. It’s complicated and the process changes daily, but we’re ready to vaccinate,” said Moritz. “I’d be pleased with a 50% (vaccine shot) uptake going into May.”
Moritz said the vaccine is not effective immediately. “People need to remember to follow (COVID) guidelines (for masking and social distancing) for a while after getting shots.”
Dec 15, 2020
BROWN COUNTY Brown County Public Health reported ten new laboratory-confirmed cases and one probable case on Dec. 13 and 14.
No new deaths were reported in either daily situation update. On Sunday, cases ranged in age from 10 to people in their 60s. On Monday, cases ranged in age from under 10 to those in their 80s.
The total number of confirmed cases Monday was 1,828. The total number of hospitalizations is 43. Total COVID-19-related deaths remained at 23.
Data is a snapshot in time and reflects totals provided to local public health from the Minnesota Department of Health as of 3 p.m. the day prior to posting.