Luverne Mayor Pat Baustian took a front-row seat to the community’s coronavirus experience last week after he came down with the illness.
“It’s definitely respiratory,” he said Wednesday after testing positive.
He described symptoms of fever, body aches and shortness of breath.
“My chest was really tight. … Respiratory fatigue is a big one,” Baustian said. “But I’m feeling much better. … A little tired, but much better.”
He made city staff and fellow council members aware of his diagnosis, and continued tending to city business online or by phone. He chaired the July 21 council meeting via Zoom.
Baustian later told the Star Herald he’d rather not talk about his positive test, but as mayor, he recognized the public’s interest in knowing.
As Rock County’s confirmed cases are rapidly increasing, Baustian said his own experience is an opportunity to remind the public that the illness is real and that anyone can contract the highly contagious virus.
“It’s no fun,” he said about the symptoms. “This is something you want to avoid if at all possible.”
While most healthy people like Baustian, 56, are able to recover without complications, the CDC and other medical professionals continue to warn that the virus can kill people if conditions align.
“What’s scary is that young people can get really sick,” Baustian said.
“It’s more important than ever to pay attention to your health and stay home if you don’t feel well. Wash your hands often and wear a mask in public.”
Masks are now required indoors in all businesses and public places, according to Gov. Tim Walz’s executive order released last week and effective July 25.
A face covering can include a paper or disposable mask, cloth mask, neck gaiter, scarf, bandana, or a religious face covering.
It must cover the mouth and nose completely. The covering should not be overly tight or restrictive and should feel comfortable to wear.
Rock County cases nearly double in two weeks
Rock County’s numbers of confirmed cases were slow to rise, despite meatpacking plant outbreaks in nearby Sioux Falls and Worthington.
It took nearly four months to reach 30, as officially reported on the Minnesota Department of Health website.
However, Rock County’s cases rapidly climbed to 65 as of Tuesday, doubling in only two weeks from 35 reported on July 15.
Among those recent cases are local student athletes who spread the virus on baseball teams, in gyms and at summer sports camps.
In addition to catching it from their peers, the students passed it on to their own families and close acquaintances, which contributed to rising local numbers.