ST PAUL, Minn. — Sunday,Aug.16
2 p.m.
Wisconsin's Department of Health Services reported 685 new cases Sunday, as the total number of confirmed cases rose to 65,741.
Health officials announced one additional death on Sunday, bringing the total number of fatalities statewide to 1,039. The total number of fatalities is approximately 1.6% of those testing positive for the virus.
Wisconsin health officials say a total of 5,304 people have been hospitalized from the coronavirus since the start of the pandemic, roughly 8.1% 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 10% are between 10 and 19, and 9% are between 60 and 69.
As of Sunday, Milwaukee County reported the largest number of cases with 22,212 and 466 deaths. Dane County reports 4,849 cases and 39 deaths, while Brown County has registered 4,505 cases and 55 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 754 bringing the cumulative total to 65,152.
Seven more people also died, bringing the death total to 1,706.
Health officials say 1,279 deaths have taken place in long-term care or assisted living facilities.
Of the seven new deaths, one occurred at a private residence and six in long-term care or assisted living facilities.
MDH also said Sunday that the total number of tests taken is at 1,254,208.
Minnesota hospitals are currently treating 290 patients for the coronavirus, with 152 of them dealing with symptoms serious enough to require care in the ICU.
MDH reports that 58,196 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 15,163 cases and four deaths, and those ages 30-39 follow with 11,867 cases and 14 deaths. Those between 80 and 89 years old account for the highest number of fatalities in one age group at 574, out of 2,080 confirmed cases.
In terms of likely exposure to the coronavirus, MDH says 15,269 cases were the result of community transmission with no known contact with an infected person, and 13,433 had known contact with a person who has a confirmed case.
A total of 9,124 cases involved exposure in a congregate living setting, 826 were in a corrections setting, and 268 were in a homeless shelter. MDH data shows 5,612 were linked to an outbreak outside of congregate living or health care.
MDH says 5,169 cases were linked to travel. Health care workers or patients account for 4,938 of diagnosed COVID-19 cases.
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 20,469, with 848 deaths, followed by Ramsey County with 8,054 cases and 274 deaths. Dakota County reports 4,810 cases and 106 deaths.
Saturday, Aug. 15
- New cases of COVID-19 hover near 700 mark
- MDH urges college students to quarantine for 2 weeks before heading back to campus
- Biden calls for a nationwide mask mandate
2 p.m.
Wisconsin's Department of Health Services reported 829 new cases Saturday, as the total number of confirmed cases rose to 65,056.
Health officials announced 13 additional deaths on Saturday, bringing the total number of fatalities statewide to 1,038. The total number of fatalities is approximately 1.6% of those testing positive for the virus.
Wisconsin health officials say a total of 5,275 people have been hospitalized from the coronavirus since the start of the pandemic, roughly 8.1% 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 10% are between 10 and 19, and 9% are between 60 and 69.
As of Thursday, Milwaukee County reported the largest number of cases with 22,054 and 465 deaths. Dane County reports 4,783 cases and 39 deaths, while Brown County has registered 4,469 cases and 55 deaths.
A more detailed breakdown of cases by county can be found on the DHS website.
11:30 a.m.
The number of new COVID-19 cases in Minnesota continues to hover near 700, a worry for state health officials as students prepare to return to school.
Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) numbers reflect 696 new cases of the virus in the most recent 24-hour reporting period, pushing the state's total to 64,413 since the beginning of the pandemic. The new cases are based on 17,135 tests performed in private and state labs.
Six more Minnesotans have died of coronavirus, increasing the number of fatalities to 1,699. Of those deaths 1,273 of them, or 75%, have occurred in long-term or assisted living settings.
Currently 307 people are being treated for the virus in Minnesota hospitals, with 140 of them in the ICU. Hospitalization numbers have hovered just above the 300 mark for the past three days.
MDH says 57,457 Minnesotans who at one time tested positive for COVID-19 have recovered to the point they no longer require isolation.
Those between the ages of 20 and 29 continue to make up the largest number of coronavirus cases with 14,980 and four deaths. People between 30 and 39 account for 11,755 cases and 14 deaths, while those between 40 and 49 comprise 9,311 cases and 24 deaths.
Minnesotans between 80 and 89 make up just 2,058 cases but 572 of the state's COVID-19 fatalities, 34% of the total.
Hennepin County reports the most cases in the state with 20,251 and 846 deaths, while Ramsey County has registered 7,969 cases and 272 deaths. Dakota County reports 4,740 cases and 106 deaths.
Friday, Aug. 14
2 p.m.
State health officials are asking college students to self-quarantine for 14 days before they go back to campus this fall.
Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Infectious Disease Division Director Kris Ehresmann said on Friday's regular briefing call that prospective college students should stay home and interact only with their family before heading to school in an effort to avoid spreading COVID-19.
"That means skipping the massive house parties, avoiding the crowded bars, and limiting your interactions," she said.
Ehresmann said they're hearing about parties and gatherings as the end of summer and beginning of the school year approaches.
"I know that I sound like a mom," she said. "But I am a mom and I do care about the outcomes for our students."
Ehresmann said MDH epidemiologists have also been noticing that people have been spreading the virus while waiting for results of COVID-19 tests to come back.
"If you're getting tested that means that you think there is a reason or a reasonable likelihood that you may have COVID," she said. "So it's really important that you stay home."
Ehresmann said outbreaks at Minnesota bars have coincided with areas where there are colleges and universities, including Mankato, Minneapolis, Duluth, Bemidji and St. Cloud.
However, Ehresmann said, "there’s not a particular area or a particular location that we’re worried about."
Ehresmann said they want college students across the state to realize that their decisions about social distancing and wearing masks will affect the spread of COVID-19 in their communities.
"The bottom line is, students will really decide how successful this is, and students will decide whether or not they have to close down and send everybody home again," she said. "That's going to depend on the choices they make to minimize transmission."
State Epidemiologist Dr. Ruth Lynfield also took the opportunity on the call to remind the public about unsafe hand sanitizers flagged by the FDA.
11 a.m.
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) reported 738 newly identified coronavirus cases on Friday, along with eight deaths.
The new cases were confirmed out of a volume of 16,617 tests done in the past 24 hours. The new deaths bring the total number of fatalities from the virus to 1,693 in Minnesota, with 1,269 of them coming from long-term care or assisted living facilities.
As of Friday, 313 people are hospitalized for COVID-19 and 152 of them are in the ICU. That's up overall from Thursday, but down from the four days prior.
Minnesotans ages 20-29 still make up the largest group of cases, with 14,849, followed by people in their 30s with 11,635. The highest numbers of deaths come in those ages 80-99.
The leading source of transmission, according to MDH, is community spread with no known contact with a confirmed coronavirus case. That accounts for 14,882 cases at this point. That type of spread is one of the indicators MDH is looking at to determine whether Minnesota needs to dial back from some of its reopening measures.
KARE 11’s coverage of the coronavirus is rooted in Facts, not Fear. Visit kare11.com/coronavirus for comprehensive coverage, find out what you need to know about the Midwest specifically, learn more about the symptoms, and see what businesses are open as the state slowly lifts restrictions. Have a question? Text it to us at 763-797-7215. And get the latest coronavirus updates sent right to your inbox every morning. Subscribe to the KARE 11 Sunrise newsletter here. Help local families in need: www.kare11.com/give11.
The state of Minnesota has set up a data portal online at mn.gov/covid19.