Message to Rochester Area: Assume COVID Virus Is In Public Spaces

Rochester, MN (KROC AM News) - Olmsted County’s top public health official included a stark warning in his latest briefing on COVID-19 activity in the area.

The spread of the virus is accelerating very rapidly in the community.

In his briefing to the County Board Tuesday, Director of Public Health Graham Briggs said he is especially concerned about the sudden rise in the positivity rate. Briggs says the sudden surge “is a warning there is more virus in the community than is being detected."

Olmsted County’s weekly number of new positive cases went over 400 last week, the highest since the pandemic began. It was almost twice as high as the previous week.

Briggs says area residents should be especially careful when going out and assume the virus is in almost all public spaces.

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