Sunday, August 2
- Wisconsin reports 54,924 confirmed cases
- Minnesota cases rise to 55,947
2 p.m.
The Wisconsin's Department of Health Services reported 922 new cases Sunday, as the total number of confirmed cases rose to 54,924.
Health officials also announced one new death Sunday, raising the total number of fatalities statewide to 948. The total number of fatalities is approximately 1.7% of those testing positive for the virus.
Wisconsin health officials say a total of 4,717 people have been hospitalized for the coronavirus since the start of the pandemic, roughly 8.6% of the total number of people who have been diagnosed with the virus.
Of the confirmed cases in Wisconsin, 25% involve people between the ages of 20 to 29, 17% are between 30 and 39, 14% are between 40 and 49, and 14% are 50 to 59. An estimated 9% are between 60 and 69, and 10% are between 10 and 19.
As of Wednesday, Milwaukee County reported the largest number of cases with 19,727 and 446 deaths. Dane County reports 4,198 cases and 37 deaths, while Brown County has registered 4,008 cases and 51 deaths.
11 a.m.
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) announced Sunday that the number of positive coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in Minnesota has increased by 769 bringing the cumulative total to 55,947.
Eight more people also died, bringing the death total to 1,614.
Health officials say 1,231 deaths have taken place in long-term care or assisted living facilities.
Of the eight new deaths, five occurred in long-term care and three at private residences.
MDH also said Sunday that the total number of tests taken is at 1,054,962 .
Health officials also say 5,241 total cases have required hospitalization. Of the total cases as of Sunday, 302 people remained in the hospital with 149 patients in intensive care.
MDH says 48,847 people no longer need to be isolated.
Of those who have tested positive, people between the ages of 20-29 account for the most cases with 13,231 cases and four deaths, and those ages 30-39 follow with 10,330 cases and 14 deaths. Those between 80 and 89 years old account for the highest number of fatalities in one age group at 540, out of 1,872 confirmed cases.
In terms of likely exposure to the coronavirus, MDH says 8,252 cases involved exposure in a congregate living setting, 737 were in a corrections setting, and 224 were in a homeless shelter. A total of 11,189 cases had known contact with a person who has a confirmed case, 12,614 cases had community transmission with no known contact with an infected person, and 5,603 were linked to an outbreak outside of congregate living or health care.
MDH says 4,103 cases were linked to travel. Health care workers or patients account for 4,072 of diagnosed COVID-19 cases.
Hennepin County has the most cases in the state at 17,789, with 819 deaths, followed by Ramsey County with 6,861 cases and 261 deaths. Dakota County reports 3,942 cases and 102 deaths.
Saturday, August 1
- Wisconsin reports 1,062 increase in cases to 54,002
- Minnesota cases rise to 55,188
2 p.m.
Wisconsin's Department of Health Services reported 1,062 new cases Saturday, as the total number of confirmed cases rose to 54,002.
The state's recent dramatic increase in cases on Thursday sparked Gov. Tony Evers to issue an emergency order mandating indoor face coverings that began at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 1.
Health officials announced 13 new deaths Wednesday, raising the total number of fatalities statewide to 947. The total number of fatalities is approximately 1.8% of those testing positive for the virus.
Wisconsin health officials say a total of 4,681 people have been hospitalized for the coronavirus since the start of the pandemic, roughly 8.7% of the total number of people who have been diagnosed with the virus.
Of the confirmed cases in Wisconsin, 25% involve people between the ages of 20 to 29, 17% are between 30 and 39, 14% are between 40 and 49, and 14% are 50 to 59. An estimated 9% are between 60 and 69, and 10% are between 10 and 19.
As of Wednesday, Milwaukee County reported the largest number of cases with 19,519 and 446 deaths. Dane County reports 4,112 cases and 37 deaths, while Brown County has registered 3,962 cases and 51 deaths.
A more detailed breakdown of cases by county can be found on the DHS website.
11 a.m.
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) reported 731 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases Saturday, bringing the total number of Minnesotans who have tested positive for the virus since the pandemic began to 55,188.
MDH says another six Minnesotans have died of complications from the virus during the past day, bringing the total number of fatalities in the state to 1,606.
Minnesota hospitals are currently treating 317 patients for the coronavirus, with 149 of them dealing with symptoms serious enough to require care in the ICU.
MDH reports that 48,119 people once diagnosed with the virus have recovered enough that they no longer require isolation.
Of those who have tested positive, people between the ages of 20-29 account for the most cases with 13,071 cases and four deaths, and those ages 30-39 follow with 10,209 cases and 13 deaths. Those between 80 and 89 years old account for the highest number of fatalities in one age group at 539, out of 1,844 confirmed cases.
In terms of likely exposure to the coronavirus, MDH says 8,189 cases involved exposure in a congregate living setting, 729 were in a corrections setting, and 217 were in a homeless shelter. A total of 11,005 cases had known contact with a person who has a confirmed case, 12,389 cases had community transmission with no known contact with an infected person, and 5,603 were linked to an outbreak outside of congregate living or health care.
MDH says 4,029 cases were linked to travel. Health care workers or patients account for 4,013 of diagnosed COVID-19 cases.
Hennepin County has the most cases in the state at 17,547, with 815 deaths, followed by Ramsey County with 6,763 cases and 260 deaths. Dakota County reports 3,860 cases and 102 deaths.
Friday, July 31
- Hospitalizations due to COVID-19 in Minnesota continue to increase
- State warns that a person who attended a rodeo in northern Minnesota tested positive for COVID-19; several thousand people attended
- Minnesota governor announces district-by-district back to school plan
- Minneapolis, St. Paul announce distance learning, some districts still up in the air
- All families have the option to choose distance learning
2 p.m.
Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Commissioner Jan Malcolm says that the last time the state saw this many days with more than 700 new cases was in May.
"We have unfortunately returned to the level of cases that we were seeing later this spring," Malcolm said Friday on a regular media briefing call. "However, important to note that we are testing much more rigorously and much more broadly."
She said hospitalization levels have returned to May levels, as well.
The state's positivity rate - the percentage of tests that come back positive - is at 4.9%, according to Malcolm. That's been the same for the last couple of days. MDH has previously said that five days in a row of 5% or higher is a cause for concern.
Malcolm said they have discovered that a person who attended the North Star Stampede rodeo in Itasca County last weekend has tested positive for COVID-19. The rodeo drew several thousand people, according to MDH.
"The person was infectious while at the event," Malcolm said Friday. "We know that there were many, many people at this event, so there’s certainly a possibility of other exposures. We just want to get the word out right now given the number of people at that event."
Malcolm said they are urging people who attended the event from July 25-27 to be vigilant, get tested if they develop symptoms, and limit public activity as much as possible for the next 14 days.
MDH Infectious Disease Division Director Kris Ehresmann said they were "very aware that there was no social distancing and people were not wearing masks" at the rodeo. She said MDH had multiple conversations with the organizers leading up to the event and she believes "they reached a point of frustration" and decided to hold the event and "not stop people from joining in."
MDH is following up with contact tracing to determine who the person might have had contact with at the event.
Dr. William Morice, president of Mayo Clinic Laboratories, said the Mayo Clinic has performed over 424,000 COVID-19 tests. On Friday's call, he emphasized the need for a smart testing strategy.
Tim Schacker, vice dean for research at the University of Minnesota Medical School, said the U of M is running approximately 6,000 tests per day.
"One of the unique things about our operation is that at the very beginning of the pandemic we recognized the need to be as independent as possible," he said.
For that reason, the U of M does "homegrown" tests whenever possible, Schacker said, which keeps them from relying as much on the global supply chain.
"We are far from out of the woods," he said. "It was little more than six months ago that the sequence of this virus was first published."
Since then, Schacker said, diagnostic testing and new therapies have been created and improved, and many clinical trials are underway.
"While there's a long ways to go, everybody needs to be vigilant," he said. "There's a vaccine, we hope, on the horizon, but now is not the time to let down our guard."
11 a.m.
Hospitalizations due to COVID-19 in Minnesota are at their highest point in nearly a month.
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) reported Friday that 312 people are hospitalized, with 151 of them in intensive care.
Those hospitalization numbers have been increasing recently, after weeks of decline. Tuesday's number was the highest since June 26, and that marker was surpassed again both Wednesday and Friday.
MDH also reported 779 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, and six additional deaths from the virus.
The new positive tests were out of a volume of 16,660 tests, the highest number since last Friday.
With the newly reported numbers Friday, deaths in Minnesota have reached 1,600, with 1,223 of them in long-term care or assisted living.
Cases among young adults ages 20-29 are climbing toward 13,000, with 12,915 reported as of Friday. People ages 30-39 make up the second-largest group, with 10,080. Minnesotans ages 80-89 make up a smaller group of cases, with 1,820, but the largest number of deaths in one age group.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey announced this week that establishments will need to stop serving customers directly from the bar beginning Aug. 1, in an attempt to curb rising case numbers related to bars and restaurants.
Thursday, July 30
2 p.m.
Gov. Tim Walz says the state will work with school districts to make individual decisions about whether students go back to school in person this fall.
The “safe learning plan” the state has come up with to educate students while mitigating the spread of COVID-19 involves three models: in-person classes, distance learning, and a hybrid of both.
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and Department of Education (MDE) will work with districts and charter schools to help determine which learning model they should start with this fall. The decision will take into account the virus’ spread in the surrounding county, and the district’s ability to meet public health requirements.
“Not all schools look the same, not all parts of the state look the same, and we need to take those into consideration,” Walz said at a news conference Thursday.
11 a.m.
New numbers released Thursday by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) show another bump in COVID-19 cases, a trend one top health official calls concerning.
MDH says 745 new cases of the coronavirus were confirmed during the last 24-hour reporting period, based on the results of 14,821 tests processed by private and state labs. That brings the total number of cases to 53,692 since the pandemic began.
The tests performed during the last reporting period pushes Minnesota over the million-test milestone. State health officials say 1,007,882 COVID-19 tests have been performed.
Currently 298 people are being treated in Minnesota hospitals for complications of the virus, 141 of those with symptoms serious enough to require ICU care. While hospitalization numbers are down a bit from Wednesday, they are still of concern to Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Infectious Disease Director Kris Ehresmann, who said hospitalizations are expected to increase and this is not just a "blip" in the data.
Five more Minnesotans have lost their lives to COVID-19, bringing total fatalities to 1,594. Of those deaths 1,219, or 76% of them, involve residents of long-term or assisted living facilities.
MDH says 46,965 people who at one time were diagnosed with the virus have recovered to the point they no longer require isolation.
Those between the ages of 20 and 29 make up the largest number of Minnesota's coronavirus cases, with 12,728. In that age group, three people have died. Those ages 30 to 39 account for 9,940 case and 13 deaths, while people between 80 and 89 comprise just 1,805 cases but 537 deaths, the most of any age group in Minnesota.
Hennepin County is now up to 17,092 cases and 810 deaths, followed by Ramsey County with 6,607 confirmed cases and 258 deaths. Dakota County reports 3,710 cases and 102 fatalities.