Coronavirus In Minnesota: Total Number Of Cases Jumps To 9

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Health officials in Minnesota announced Thursday afternoon that the number of positive coronavirus (COVID-19) cases has nearly doubled, hitting a total of nine.

The new cases are in Dakota, Hennepin and Stearns counties.

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While few details about the people affected have been released, officials in Stearns County say the person there is isolated at home and is "doing well." The person is believed to have gotten the virus while traveling.

The case in Dakota County appears to be connected to the closure of St. Thomas Academy. The Mendota Heights school issued a statement saying that a parent in the community was confirmed to have the virus, which prompted the all-boys school to cancel classes for Thursday and Friday.

Before Thursday, five cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Minnesota. The people affected were in Anoka, Carver, Olmsted, and Ramsey counties.

The Minnesota Department of Health says that so far more than 300 people have been tested for the virus in Minnesota.

In most cases, COVID-19 symptoms are mild, such as a sore throat and a cough. In others, like the elderly and those with sensitive lungs, the disease can be life-threatening. Still, the vast majority of those who get the virus recover.