Edina mayor sounds alarm amid spike in COVID-19 cases among youths

Edina’s mayor is pleading for parents to get their kids to follow COVID-19 safety guidelines as the majority of new cases in the suburb have been for people under 25 years old.

In a video Monday, Mayor Jim Hovland said if students want to go back to school, they need to be more careful.

The median age for COVID-19 patients in Edina used to be 57 years old, but from June 25 to July 6, the median age was 20. Over that time period, Hovland said there were 154 more cases — about 13 new cases a day on average.

Hovland said contract tracing done by public health officials shows young people are being exposed to the coronavirus at house parties, bonfires, cabin trips and while playing organized sports.

"Simply put, it’s just from socializing," Hovland said. "They are not picking up the virus in restaurants and bars like we are seeing in other parts of the country or cases amongst those 25 and younger are soaring."

Last week the mayor signed an executive order requiring face masks in stores and city-owned buildings. That order went into effect on Monday.