Monday, Nov. 9
- Gov. Tim Walz speaks at a new saliva testing site opening in Minneapolis Convention Center
- Minnesota shattered its previous daily COVID-19 case record on Sunday
- Pfizer says COVID-19 vaccine appears to be 90% effective
11 a.m.
Minnesota COVID-19 cases took a step back Monday, after new single-day records were set in three of the previous four days.
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) says 3,930 new cases were reported Monday, down from 5,924 reported Sunday. Those new cases are based on the results of 26,004 tests (25,213 PCR, 791 Antigen) processed in private and state labs.
A positive PCR test is considered a confirmed case, while a positive Antigen test is considered a probable case.
An additional 19 Minnesotans died from coronavirus in the past day, bringing the total of fatalities to 2,675. Of those deaths 1,850, or 69% of them, are tied to long-term care or assisted living settings.
Total hospitalizations in the state are now up to 11,671 since the pandemic began, with 2,948 of those patients requiring care in the ICU. MDH says 149,766 people who at one time tested positive for the virus have recovered to the point they no longer require isolation.
The group between ages 20 and 24 make up the largest number of Minnesota's COVID cases with 21,961 and a single death, followed by those 25 to 29 with 17,776 cases and three deaths. Add in people between 30 and 34 who account for 16,157 cases and nine fatalities, and you have the demographic that state health officials have repeatedly expressed concern about.
On Monday during a press conference at Minnesota's newest COVID-19 saliva testing site, Gov. Tim Walz said those 20 to 34 are relatively healthy and often asymptomatic when they contract COVID-19. Walz said not knowing that they're sick, members of this socially active group then spread the virus into long-term care facilities, schools, and even bring it home to unknowingly infect older family members or those with underlying conditions. He said that cycle is responsible for the spike in Minnesota's community spread.
The largest group of fatalities involves Minnesotans ages 85 to 89, with 490 deaths in 2,424 diagnosed cases.
Hennepin County reports the most COVID activity, with 43,570 cases and 1,023 deaths, following by Ramsey County with 18,200 cases and 407 deaths. Dakota County has 12,946 cases and 148 deaths.
Cook County in northeastern Minnesota continues to report the least COVID activity with 36 cases and zero deaths, followed by Lake of the Woods County with 65 cases and one death.
8:45 a.m.
A barrier-free COVID-19 saliva testing site is opening at the Minneapolis Convention Center as Minnesota continues to break its daily records of new cases.
On Sunday, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) reported 5,924 new cases across the state, by far the highest single-day total yet.
Gov. Tim Walz spoke about the expansion in COVID-19 testing capacity at the new testing site Monday at 8:45 a.m.
"We have reached a very dangerous phase in the pandemic in the upper Midwest and now into Minnesota," Walz said.
He pointed out that the infection rates, hospitalizations and deaths have been breaking records almost daily. "These are preventable deaths," Walz said, urging Minnesotans to wear a mask, social distance, stay home when they're sick and get tested.
The Minneapolis Convention Center will be open weekdays from noon to 7 p.m., and weekends 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with free parking nearby. Tests are available whether you are symptomatic or not. Anyone seeking a test is asked not to eat, drink or smoke for 30 minutes prior.
Enter on the west side of the building off of First Avenue.
MDH officials and Gov. Walz have emphasized in recent weeks that community spread in Minnesota is reaching a dangerous level.
"We want to cut off that community spread by making sure that people get tested as easily and as quickly and as close to their home as they possibly can," Walz said.
The Minneapolis location is the eighth saliva testing location to open in Minnesota.
In the next two weeks, 11 sites will be opened across Minnesota with partners at the Minnesota National Guard, and a saliva testing site will be opened at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport, Walz said Monday.
Testing especially for asymptomatic Minnesotans has emerged as a key strategy of the state in controlling the community spread of the virus.
"Eighteen to 35-year-olds that are asymptomatic, that's the heart and soul of where this is spreading," Walz said. "These are healthy folks that might not even know they have it, and where they are congregating, they are acting as the spreader or the nucleus of where this is coming out of, and ... taking it into places like long-term care, like hospitals, like schools."
Walz warned that hospitals are becoming full, and it is an "inevitability" that Minnesota will see 10,000 cases per day and rising deaths if changes are not made.
"Testing is growing a lot, cases are growing a lot faster," said Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Commissioner Jan Malcolm, explaining that the positivity rate exceeds the rate of testing. "The bottom line here, this is exponential growth."
Malcolm demonstrated how the saliva test is done, adding that the process will be observed on site so it is done correctly. "It's easy, quick, and pain free," she emphasized.
When asked about the possibility of another statewide shutdown to address skyrocketing COVID-19 numbers, Walz reasoned that kind of response isn't necessarily the right thing to do right now. "Not at this time, but we are prepared to take steps," Walz said.
The governor says if there are upcoming closures and changes, they would likely involve the places or sectors where 18 to 35-year-olds are gathering and spreading the virus. Walz insists he is not scapegoating the hospitality industry, but says by the very nature of the virus standing at a bar or sitting close to others at a table increases the risk of transmission. He also added that bar settings are not the only places where transmission is taking place.
"In all fairness, your gathering with three or four families in your backyard, or worse, yet, in your garage for a celebration would have an equally detrimental effect," Walz said.
"We've got work to do, Minnesota, I'm imploring, especially 18 to 35-year-olds, you're not feeling sick, you don't think you have COVID, you're sick of this, you've got stuff to do... unfortunately the virus is using that as the transmission method, and where you're gathering it's going," the governor said. "If it's hitting someone else, it's going into long-term care facilities, it's going into schools, it's going to your elderly family members, or those with underlying conditions."
Sunday, Nov. 8
2 p.m.
Wisconsin's Department of Health Services (WDHS) reported 4,280 new cases on Sunday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases statewide to 267,410.
Health officials reported 11 new deaths Sunday as the total number of fatalities statewide goes up to 2,312. The total number of fatalities is approximately 0.9% of those testing positive for the virus.
Wisconsin health officials say a total of 12,839 people have been hospitalized from the coronavirus since the start of the pandemic, about 4.8% of the total number of people who have been diagnosed with the virus.
Of the confirmed cases in Wisconsin, 21% involve people between the ages of 20 to 29, 16% are between 30 and 39, 15% are between 50 and 59, and 14% are 40 to 49. An estimated 11% are between 10 and 19, and 10% are between 60 and 69.
As of Sunday, Milwaukee County reported the largest number of cases with 49,295 along with 622 deaths. Dane County has reported 18,523 cases and 55 deaths, and Brown County has 17,951 cases and 111 deaths.
A more detailed breakdown of cases by county can be found on the DHS website.
11 a.m.
On Sunday, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) reported 5,924 additional COVID-19 cases, which is the highest daily record yet.
The state's previous record was set on Friday with 5,454 new cases.
MDH's COVID-19 case definition was recently updated to include antigen testing. Previously, cases were only reported through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing. Positive PCR test results are considered confirmed cases, while positive antigen test results are considered probable cases.
MDH will combine these totals for its death, hospitalization and demographic reporting. The department will report the numbers separately for some other areas, like newly reported cases and total cases by county of residence.
Sunday's new case total includes 5,863 confirmed cases and 61 probable cases.
The total number of Minnesotans who have tested positive for the virus since the pandemic began is now 180,862, and 1,337 of them were antigen test results.
MDH says 31 new deaths from the virus were reported in the past day. This pushes the total number of fatalities in Minnesota to 2,656.
To date, 11,527 Minnesotans have been hospitalized with the coronavirus since the pandemic started, with 2,923 of them needing care in the ICU.
MDH reports that 146,311 people once diagnosed with the virus have recovered enough that they no longer need isolation.
Of those who have tested positive, people between the ages of 20-24 account for the most cases with 21,494 cases and one death, and ages 25-29 follow with
17,400 cases and three deaths. Those between 85 and 89 years old account for the highest number of fatalities in one age group with 482, out of 2,382 confirmed cases.
In terms of likely exposure to the coronavirus, MDH says 41,050 cases were the result of community transmission with no known contact with an infected person, and 36,045 had known contact with a person who has a confirmed case.
A total of 17,342 cases involved exposure in a congregate living setting, 3,670 were in a corrections setting, and 434 were in a homeless shelter. MDH data shows 11,841 were linked to an outbreak outside of congregate living or health care.
MDH says 14,902 cases were linked to travel. Health care workers or patients account for 5,344 of diagnosed COVID-19 cases. The source of transmission for 50,234 cases is still unknown or missing.
MDH has prioritized testing for people in congregate care, hospitalized patients and health care workers, which may impact the scale of those numbers. However, now MDH is urging anyone who is symptomatic to be tested. Testing locations can be found online.
Hennepin County has the most cases in the state at 42,495 cases with 1,023 deaths, followed by Ramsey County with 17,622 cases and 406 deaths. Dakota County reports 12,571 cases and 147 deaths.
Full data, including a breakdown of PCR and antigen test totals in some categories, can be found on MDH's website.
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The state of Minnesota has set up a data portal online at mn.gov/covid19