A four-day stretch of frigid weather has taken its toll, with at least two deaths and dozens of cases of frostbite and hypothermia linked to the brutal cold in and around the Twin Cities.
Minnesota's two burn centers, which treat frostbite, say they've seen a huge spike in cases. Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, which usually sees 25 to 30 frostbite cases in a year, has already had 35 so far in January, a spokeswoman said. At Regions Hospital in St. Paul, there were 26 cases from Saturday to Wednesday.
Police said Wednesday that they don't suspect foul play in the case of a Lakeville woman who was found dead on the doorstep of her family's home, and her mother said she appears to have frozen to death. An autopsy is still pending.
The body of Andrea Marker, 32, was found about 4 p.m. Tuesday outside the house in the 17500 block of Illinois Court, family members said.
Her mother, Sheila Marker, said she had problems with alcohol, although it's unclear whether that played a role in her death.
Cases compounded by alcohol
Drinking can be a contributor to deaths and hospitalizations related to the cold weather, said Christine Hill, a spokeswoman for HCMC.
"Quite often we find alcohol is a major factor when it comes to frostbite'' because people are making bad decisions about how to prepare to go out in the weather, she said. People also may not notice the effect of the cold as quickly if they are already numb from alcohol, she said.
Alcohol also hurts by drawing heat from the body core to the skin, doctors say.
