COVID-19 Data - Frequently Asked Questions

“Why can’t we get more specific information about positive cases of COVID-19?”

We at Wright County Public Health do our best to respect the privacy of those diagnosed with COVID-19, their families, and their workplaces. Sharing private information would potentially be a violation of the Minnesota Government Data Privacy Act.

“Why does data you report differ from what the Department of Health reports?”

The most common reason that data differs is because case interviews take time to complete; we won't have data until those interviews are done. Then, we need to exchange information with the Department of Health, which can be slow. Sometimes, we notice errors in the information we get on cases. When this happens, we notify the Department of Health and make the necessary changes in our data before publishing the data.

“How do you define a ‘death due to COVID-19’?”

To be considered a death due to COVID-19, cases must test positive for the disease. The test may be conducted after death, but to be included in our data, they also have to have either: 
- COVID-19 listed in Part 1 or 2 of the death certificate OR
- a clinical history or autopsy findings and epidemiological evidence that death is related to COVID-19

Probable COVID-19 deaths are not included in Minnesota's overall numbers, but the Department of Health does include probable deaths as a separate number on their website.

“If one person has multiple positive tests, are they considered multiple cases?”

Each case is a unique individual. If we find duplicate cases, we remove the duplicates from our data collection system. Correct information is dependent on the case interview. Cases are posted according to the date the positive test result was reported by the lab.

“Aren’t most cases elderly people in long-term care facilities?”

As of July 2, 2020, most Wright County cases (79.79%) are under 60 years of age. While younger people are less likely to experience a severe illness if they get COVID-19, they can unknowingly pass the virus to people who can get severely ill.

Regarding cases related to long-term care, as of July 9, 2020 in Wright County:

• 4.71% of COVID-19 cases live in long-term care/assisted living
• 19.69% of COVID-19 cases are linked to a congregate care facility (resident or staff who is linked to a nursing home, assisted living center, group home, or other congregate care site)

“Is the increase in cases related to the increase in testing?”

As testing supplies have become more available and more people can get tested, the number of tests per day has increased, which means we are going to see more positive test results. The percent of positive cases provides a better picture of how many people have COVID-19. On July 9, 2020, 5.1% of tests done on Wright County residents were positive. This is a decrease from the percent positive on June 4, 2020 (7.2%).

We will update these FAQs as we receive more questions. To ask a question about data, please email COVID-19@co.wright.mn.us. 
Please see our dashboard for current data: 
https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/52d559cfbe6e4ca39558c9b2f877e144