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Live updates: MDH reports 18 new COVID-19 deaths, 2,217 new cases

Here are the latest COVID-19 developments in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

ST PAUL, Minn. — Sunday, Nov. 1

2 p.m.

Wisconsin's Department of Health Services (WDHS) reported 3,493 new cases on Sunday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases statewide to 228,863.

Health officials reported 59 new deaths on Sunday as the total number of fatalities statewide rose to 2,047. The total number of fatalities is approximately 0.9% of those testing positive for the virus.  

Wisconsin health officials say a total of 11,497 people have been hospitalized from the coronavirus since the start of the pandemic, about 5% 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 43,482 along with 593 deaths. Brown County has reported 16,210 cases and 103 deaths, and Dane County has reported 16,011 cases and 49 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) announced Sunday that the number of positive coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in Minnesota has increased by 2,217 bringing the cumulative total to 150,672.

Eighteen more people died, bringing the death total to 2,475 in the state.

To date, 10,334 Minnesotans have been hospitalized with the coronavirus since the pandemic started, with 2,706 of them needing care in the ICU.

MDH reports that 129,663 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 18,336 cases and one death, and ages 25-29 follow with  
14,602 cases and three deaths. Those between 85 and 89 years old account for the highest number of fatalities in one age group with 437, out of 2,034 confirmed cases.

In terms of likely exposure to the coronavirus, MDH says 37,567 cases were the result of community transmission with no known contact with an infected person, and 32,908 had known contact with a person who has a confirmed case.

A total of 15,783 cases involved exposure in a congregate living setting, 3,086 were in a corrections setting, and 408 were in a homeless shelter. MDH data shows 11,664 were linked to an outbreak outside of congregate living or health care.

MDH says 13,568 cases were linked to travel. Health care workers or patients account for 4,829 of diagnosed COVID-19 cases. The source of transmission for 30,859 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 36,827 cases with 1,002 deaths, followed by Ramsey County with 15,200 cases and 383 deaths. Dakota County reports 10,693 cases and 139 deaths.

Saturday, Oct. 31

2 p.m.

Wisconsin's Department of Health Services (WDHS) reported 5,278 new cases on Saturday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases statewide to 225,370. It's the highest number of cases reported in a single day in Wisconsin since the pandemic began. 

Health officials reported 59 new deaths on Saturday as the total number of fatalities statewide rose to 2,031. The total number of fatalities is approximately 0.9% of those testing positive for the virus.  

Wisconsin health officials say a total of 11,374 people have been hospitalized from the coronavirus since the start of the pandemic, about 5% of the total number of people who have been diagnosed with the virus.  

Of the confirmed cases in Wisconsin, 22% 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 Saturday, Milwaukee County reported the largest number of cases with 42,864 along with 592 deaths. Brown County has reported 16,115 cases and 103 deaths, and Dane County has reported 15,839 cases and 49 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 3,021 additional COVID-19 cases Saturday. 

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. 

Saturday's new case total includes 2,983 confirmed cases and 38 probable cases.

The total number of Minnesotans who have tested positive for the virus since the pandemic began is 147,831, and 641 of them were antigen test results. 

MDH says 20 new deaths from the virus were reported in the past day, pushing the total number of fatalities in Minnesota to 2,457.

To date, 10,270 Minnesotans have been hospitalized with the coronavirus since the pandemic started, with 2,695 of them needing care in the ICU.

MDH reports that 127,362 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 18,125 cases and one death, and ages 25-29 follow with  
14,384 cases and three deaths. Those between 85 and 89 years old account for the highest number of fatalities in one age group with 435, out of 2,005 confirmed cases.

Hennepin County has the most cases in the state at 36,580 cases with 1,000 deaths, followed by Ramsey County with 15,139 cases and 380 deaths. Dakota County reports 10,589 cases and 139 deaths.

Friday, Oct. 30 

  • Daily cases rise above 3,000 in Minnesota for the first time
  • Wisconsin hits second-highest single-day case count
  • School districts revisit learning models as COVID spikes
  • Case surge beginning to reach long-term care facilities
  • MDH encourages low-risk activities for Halloween

2 p.m.

Wisconsin's Department of Health Services (WDHS) reported 5,096 new cases on Friday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases statewide to 220,092. It's the second-highest number of cases reported in a single day in Wisconsin since the pandemic began. 

Health officials reported 24 new deaths on Friday as the total number of fatalities statewide rises to 1,972. The total number of fatalities is approximately 0.9% of those testing positive for the virus. 

Wisconsin health officials say a total of 11,145 people have been hospitalized from the coronavirus since the start of the pandemic, about 5.1% of the total number of people who have been diagnosed with the virus. 

Of the confirmed cases in Wisconsin, 22% 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 Friday, Milwaukee County reported the largest number of cases with 41,932 along with 585 deaths. Brown County has reported 15,983 cases and 101 deaths, and Dane County has reported 15,521 cases and 49 deaths.

A more detailed breakdown of cases by county can be found on the DHS website.

11 a.m.

Numbers released Friday confirm that Minnesota has again set a new high-water mark for cases of COVID-19, this one exceeding the 3,000 mark for the first time. 

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) says 3,165 cases were reported in the last 24 hours, bringing the state total to 145,465 since the onset of the pandemic. The new cases were confirmed by a total of 33,910 tests (both PCR and antigen) processed in private and state labs.

Friday's case total marks the fifth consecutive day Minnesota's new cases have exceeded the 2,000 mark, and MDH commissioner Jan Malcolm told reporters Thursday she expects numbers to keep going up. 

“The way things are going I’m sorry to say that I don’t think that record’s going to hold for very long,” Malcolm said. “It appears that 2,000 or more is becoming our new norm and I think we need to brace ourselves for greater totals yet to come.”

An additional 18 people have died from the coronavirus, bringing total fatalities in the state to 2,437. Of those deaths 1,701, or 70%, occurred in assisted living or long-term care settings. 

Credit: KARE

The state also reported 738 hospitalizations Friday, another single-day high, with 176 people in intensive care.  

Total hospitalizations have pushed past the 10,000 milestone, with 10,119 being treated on an in-patient basis since the pandemic started. MDH says 2,665 of those patients required care in the ICU. State health officials say 125,052 people who at one time tested positive for the virus have recovered to the point they no longer require isolation. 

Minnesota's largest grouping of cases involves people ages 20 to 24. Of that group 17,861 have tested positive and one has died. Those 25 to 29 account for 14,124 cases and three deaths, while people 30 to 34 comprise 12,813 cases and nine fatalities. 

The largest number of deaths involves Minnesotans 85 to 89, with 430 fatalities in 1,963 cases. 

Hennepin County reports the most COVID activity with 36,126 cases and 997 deaths, followed by Ramsey County with 14,966 cases and 377 deaths. Dakota County has registered 10,420 cases and 139 fatalities. 

Cook County in northeastern Minnesota is on the other end of the spectrum, with just 20 COVID cases since the pandemic began in the state. Lake of the Woods County reports 47 total cases.

2 p.m.

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) held a regular briefing call on Thursday, shortly after reporting a record-high number of COVID-19 cases in a single day.

MDH Commissioner Jan Malcolm said the 2,872 new cases confirmed in the past day is on a testing volume of just under 27,800 tests.

“Obviously this new case total eclipses the record that we just set last week,” Malcolm said.

It’s also the fourth day of over 2,000 cases this month.

“The way things are going I’m sorry to say that I don’t think that record’s going to hold for very long,” Malcolm said. “It appears that 2,000 or more is becoming our new norm and I think we need to brace ourselves for greater totals yet to come.”

The current number of hospitalizations sits at 685 in Minnesota, a "high-water mark" for the state thus far in the pandemic.

The seven-day test positivity rate is now 6.8%, and Malcolm said because of the lag time, that number will certainly increase in the coming days.

"We do know that some of those indicators are heading still further up in the coming week," Malcolm said. "We've done some various looks at what different levels of case growth translate to in terms of later hospitalization and mortality. ... That's part of why we are urging so strenuously that as a community we need to do everything we can to stabilize these numbers and drive them down from here."

The commissioner pointed out that the growth in cases is driven by small decisions that Minnesotans make every day.

“These small everyday gatherings and activities are leading to infections that are then spreading,” Malcolm said.

MDH Infectious Disease Director Kris Ehresmann said the high case rates are putting “tremendous pressure” on long-term care facilities in Minnesota. She said there were 186 new cases in those facilities on Tuesday alone.

“This shows that even with the good work that’s taken place, even with the flood walls we’ve put up, if the waters rise high enough, we’ll still have big problems,” Ehresmann said.

Ehresmann called attention to the fact that those decisions made by everyday Minnesotans are affecting the safety of the state’s health care workers, and their ability to stay healthy to treat COVID patients.

“Chances are that it’s far less than six degree of separation between the people that you know, and someone who’s working in a health care setting,” Ehresmann said.

11 a.m.

Numbers released Thursday by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) reflect a new single-day high in cases of COVID-19 across the state.

MDH reports an additional 2,872 cases recorded in the past 24 hours, bringing the state's total to 142,311 since the start of the pandemic. Those new cases are based on 27,769 tests (PCR and antigen combined) processed in private and state labs. 

Single-day case numbers have topped 2,000 in Minnesota just three other times, all of them in October. 

An additional 32 people died from the coronavirus in the past day, bringing Minnesota's fatalities to 2,419. Of those deaths 1,689, or 70% of them, occurred in long-term care or assisted living settings. 

MDH records indicate there have been only two days with more than 30 deaths reported since June, Thursday and Oct. 21. The spikes in both deaths and cases reflect the concern voiced recently by state health officials and the governor that Minnesota is trending in a very dangerous direction with COVID-19.

Credit: KARE

Total hospitalizations for the virus have reached 9,991, with 2,642 of those patients requiring care in the ICU. MDH reports that 124,379 people who at one time tested positive for the virus have recovered to the point that they no longer require isolation. 

People between 20 and 24 now account for 17,575 cases, the most of any age group by a significant margin. Those from 25 to 29 number 13,827 cases with three deaths, and 30 to 34-year-olds comprise 12,564 cases with nine fatalities. 

The largest number of deaths, 427 of them from just 1,916 confirmed cases, involves patients between the ages of 85 and 89. 

Hennepin County has the most COVID activity with 35,484 cases and 995 deaths, followed by Ramsey County with 14,726 cases and 372 fatalities. Dakota County reports 10,271 cases and 139 deaths. 

Cook County in northeast Minnesota has the least COVID activity with 19 cases since the pandemic started, followed by Lake of the Woods County with 44 cases.

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

   

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