Pine Knot News - A hometown newspaper with a local office, local owners & lots of local news

Carlton County Covid-19 case numbers increased by 47 cases over the past week, and there were no new deaths from Jan. 20-27.

As of Wednesday, Jan. 27, Carlton County had seen a cumulative total of 2,856 Covid-19 cases with 43 deaths, according to the most recent numbers from the Minnesota Department of Health. Also Wednesday, the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa reported a total of 196 positive tests so far — an increase of one since last week — with 92 of those on the reservation, the same as the week before.

The state’s Jan. 21 report by zip code showed most Carlton County zip codes with few new cases. Reporting zero new cases were Holyoke and Kettle River. Cloquet reported 1288 cumulative cases, up 26 cases from the week before. Carlton saw an increase of seven cases to 277. Esko reported 368 cases, also an increase of seven. Moose Lake was at 409 cases, with only one new case. Barnum increased by two, to 199. Sawyer showed one new case, for a cumulative total of 11 cases in the Jan. 21 report.

In terms of the rate of positive cases, Carlton County now has a cumulative rate of 4.9 percent: that’s the average rate of positive cases per 10,000 people since testing began last spring. The percent of positive cases from Jan. 3-9 (the most recent dates available) came in at 0.6 percent, down from 1.9 percent the week before.

Health and Human Services director Dave Lee said that a ramp-up of vaccinations for Covid-19 will happen — when enough vaccines are available — at the two county transportation sites: the Transportation Building at the Carlton junction and the new county garage in Barnum.

County staff will man the sites. It is hoped that late winter or into the spring will finally open up the vaccine supplies.

— Pine Knot News