COVID case counts and updates for June 26

For Friday, June 26:

Stearns County has reported 15 new COVID-19 cases as of today. The total COVID case count for Stearns County is now 2,156.

Kandiyohi County added one new case. No new cases were reported out of Douglas, Pope and Swift counties.

The state of Minnesota reported five new COVID deaths, and all were in long-term care facilities. All five were residents of either Hennepin or Dakota counties.

Minnesota as a whole reported 493 new COVID-19 cases on a testing volume of 14,560 tests. That equates to a 3.4 percent positive rate on testing.

I'll end this blog post by paraphrasing something that President John F. Kennedy once said: "Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be a stronger person."