ST PAUL, Minn. — Sunday, May 31
11:15 a.m.
Officials with the Minnesota Department Health announced on Sunday that the number of positive COVID-19 cases in Minnesota has risen to 24,850, up 664 from Saturday.
The MDH says 14 more people also died, bringing the death total to 1,040.
Minnesota hospitals are currently treating 555 patients for complications from the coronavirus, which is a decrease of 34 people from the numbers reported yesterday.
The total number of people who no longer require isolation, since the pandemic began, is 18,695. That's an increase of 831 patients since Saturday.
Health officials say 257 patients are in intensive care, which is six fewer than yesterday.
The total number of tests processed by private or state labs has reached 249,519.
Saturday, May 30
11 a.m.
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) reported 660 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases Saturday, bringing the total number of Minnesotans who have tested positive for the virus since the pandemic began to 24,190.
The total number of tests processed by private or state labs has reached 242,508.
MDH says another 30 Minnesotans have died of complications from the virus, bringing the total number of fatalities in the state to 1,026. Of those deaths, 837 have occurred in long-term care or assisted living settings.
Minnesota hospitals are currently treating 589 patients for complications from the coronavirus, with 263 of them dealing with symptoms serious enough to require care in the ICU. As of Saturday, a total of 3,011 people have required hospitalization for COVID-19.
MDH reports that 17,864 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 30-39 account for the most cases, with 4,835 cases and six deaths. Those between 80 and 89 years old account for the highest number of fatalities in one age group, at 353.
Hennepin County has the most cases in the state at 8,181, with 606 deaths, followed by Ramsey County with 2,863 cases and 122 deaths. Stearns County reports 2,014 cases and 13 deaths.
Friday, May 29
11 a.m.
The Minnesota Department of Health reported 590 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases Friday, bringing the total number of Minnesotans who have tested positive for the virus since the pandemic began to 23,531.
The total number of tests processed by private or state labs has reached 233,873.
MDH says another 29 Minnesotans have died of complications from the virus, bringing the total number of fatalities in the state to 996. Of those deaths, 811 have occurred in long-term care or assisted living settings.
Minnesota hospitals are currently treating 592 patients for complications from the coronavirus, with 259 of them dealing with symptoms serious enough to require care in the ICU. As of Friday, a total of 2,936 people have required hospitalization for COVID-19.
Thursday, May 28
- Fatalities hit new single-day high with 35
- Nearly 41 million workers have filed for unemployments since COVID-19 pandemic began
- US military response could look different if second wave of coronavirus hits
2 p.m.
As crowds of people continue to protest the death of George Floyd in police custody, Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Commissioner Jan Malcolm is urging safety.
She said on the daily MDH update call Thursday that social distancing and masks can reduce risk of spreading COVID-19, though they can't eliminate it.
"It is certainly going to be a factor in what happens in our outbreak and in our case counts," Malcolm said. "I'm understanding that the forecast is for very large protests this weekend with a lot of people coming in from around the state and around the country."
Malcolm said that is "almost sure" to increase the spread of coronavirus in Minnesota.
"While completely understanding their legitimate right and need to speak," she said, the gatherings will "very predictably accelerate the spread."
"We're in a much better place to respond than we would have been four weeks ago," MDH Infectious Disease Director Kris Ehresmann said, saying their department now has more than 600 case investigators, and is continuing to add to that capacity.
The daily increase of 493 cases reported Thursday continues a string of five days in a row of reducing new case numbers, which Malcolm said they saw previously before a large uptick. Generally, though, she said the decline is a good sign. Those 493 new cases came out of the highest number of tests in a single day yet, Malcolm said.
However, Minnesota also saw its highest single-day death toll with 35 reported on Thursday.
Ehresmann said that they have identified some "clustering" of cases among children, some of which is related to child care.
Although MDH did not name specific locations, Ehresmann said that they have a team of people working with child care facilities and schools. She said they work to do interviews whenever a case is identified, and that as part of that process parents are notified.
In all, she said that cases among people under 20 years old represent about 25% of total cases in Minnesota.
"We have seen some cases or clustering of cases in children, sometimes related to child care," she said. "But that is not, I guess, unexpected. Just because of the gathering together."
Ehresmann said she believes that child care facilities are following MDH public health guidance.
11 a.m.
New numbers released Thursday by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) reflect another single-day high in fatalities as the state inches closer to 1,000 total deaths caused by COVID-19.
MDH says 35 people perished in the most recent 24-hour reporting period, bringing to 967 the number of people who have died from the virus. Of those deaths 787 (81%) occurred in long-term or assisted living settings.
The state also hit a new high in tests completed with 8,676. That brings the total of tests completed in private and state labs to 225,208 since the beginning of the pandemic. Yesterday's tests confirmed another 493 cases of coronavirus, and the total number of Minnesotans who have tested positive for COVID-19 now sits at 22,947.
Case breakdowns show people between the ages of 30 and 39 make up the largest group of people (4,580) who have contracted the coronavirus. Those 20 to 29 make up 4,212 cases, with people from 40 to 49 accounting for 3,660. When it comes to deaths, people ages 80 to 89 account for 331 of the 967 total reported.
Hospitals across the state are currently treated 606 on an in-patient basis for the virus, with 242 requiring care in the ICU. Health officials report 2,880 total hospitalizations since the arrival of the coronavirus.
Recovery numbers indicate 16,655 people who at one time tested positive for the virus no longer require isolation.
Wednesday, May 27
2 p.m.
Gov. Tim Walz said Wednesday that the next phase of the Stay Safe MN order, beginning June 1, represents a “cautious, strategic turn of the dial.”
That new stage will include restaurants opening outdoor seating with limited capacity and social distancing in place, and salons opening with limited capacity.
"We're taking very seriously what the next step of that is," the governor said in response to questions about indoor seating for restaurants. "It was never meant to make people whole, it was one step in the direction."
In a media briefing Wednesday with a small press pool, Walz said we're "kind of in the yellow" in two places in the state in terms of ICU capacity. He said that all of the modeling seems to show that the peak of hospitalizations is still "a ways off."
He would not give a timeline for the next steps in the Stay Safe order for Minnesota.
"If we were past the peak and on the other side, these decisions would be easier to make," Walz said. "We're not there yet."
Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Commissioner Jan Malcolm said the speed of the spread of COVID-19 across the country and globe is "stunning."
Among the 33 coronavirus-related deaths reported Wednesday in Minnesota, Malcolm said one person was in their 30s with no known underlying health conditions.
Malcolm said that even though the state has planned for the peak and has surge capacity available, it's worth noting that some of Minnesota's hospitals have already gone into that surge capacity.
Malcolm said she is aware of an MDH investigation into COVID-19 at a child care facility, but did not have details at the time.
11 a.m.
Deaths and hospitalizations due to COVID-19 matched or exceeded single-day highs, according to new numbers released Wednesday by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH).
MDH says 33 Minnesotans died of the coronavirus in the latest 24-hour reporting period, pushing the total of fatalities to 932 since the pandemic began. The 33 deaths tie a previous mark recorded on May 22. Of those 932 deaths, 759 occurred in long-term care or assisted living situations.
An additional 510 people tested positive for the virus in the past day, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 22,464. Private and state labs performed 6,634 tests, increasing the total number of those tested to 216,532.
The number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 symptoms serious enough to require treatment in the ICU sits at 260, a new single-day high. Currently, a total of 598 people are being treated in Minnesota hospitals for the coronavirus.
Health officials say 16,314 people who at one time tested positive for the virus have recovered enough to no longer require isolation. That's 72% of Minnesota's confirmed cases.
Hennepin County reports the most COVID-19 cases with 7,540, and 565 fatalities. Ramsey County confirms 2,610 cases and 103 deaths, while Stearns County reports 1,984 and 12 fatalities.
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The state of Minnesota has set up a hotline for general questions about coronavirus at 651-201-3920 or 1-800-657-3903, available 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
