ST PAUL, Minn. — Thursday, Sept. 24
- Minnesota records nearly 1,000 new COVID cases
- MDH changes the way daily hospitalizations are reported
- Winona County issues travel advisory for La Crosse County after outbreak
- MDH weighs in on safe Halloween guidance
- State medical director warns of MIS-C cases in Minnesota children
Statistics released Thursday by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) reflect another day of high COVID-19 case numbers.
MDH says 995 people tested positive for the virus in the past 24-hour reporting period, bringing total cases in Minnesota to 93,012 since the onset of the pandemic. Those new cases are based on results from 21,159 tests performed in private and state labs.
Three more Minnesotans have died from coronavirus in the past day, bringing total fatalities to 1,988. Of those deaths 1,435, or 72 percent of them have occurred in assisted living or long-term care settings.
State health officials say 83,862 people who at one time tested positive for COVID-19 have recovered to the point they no longer require isolation.
MDH is also announcing a change in the way the department will be reporting daily COVID-19 hospitalizations. Instead of sharing the current number of patients hospitalized each day, MDH will now report daily new patient admissions, both for general care and ICU. On Thursday the department reported three new COVID-19 admissions in hospitals across the state, with one of those patients requiring ICU care. To date 7,331 Minnesotans have been hospitalized with the coronavirus since the pandemic started, with 2029 of them needing care in the ICU.
People in their 20s continue to account for the greatest number of Minnesota's cases. Those between 20 and 24 make up 12,777 cases with one death, while people from 25 to 29 comprise 9,200 cases and three deaths. The age group from 15 to 19 continues to grow, with 8,798 cases and zero deaths.
The age group with the most COVID-related deaths are people between 85 and 89. That demographic accounts for 339 deaths in just 1,244 cases, meaning 27% of those who were diagnosed with the virus died from it.
Hennepin County reports the most coronavirus activity in the state with 26,447 cases and 926 deaths, followed by Ramsey County with 10,697 cases and 319 deaths. Dakota County reports 7,354 cases and 125 deaths.
Cook County in northeast Minnesota has the least COVID activity with just six cases and zero deaths, followed by Kittson County with just 12 diagnosed cases.
Wednesday Sept. 23
2 p.m.
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is offering guidelines for a safe celebration of Halloween this year amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
MDH officials held a regular briefing call with the media Wednesday, with speakers including Commissioner Jan Malcolm, Infectious Disease Director Kris Ehresmann and Medical Director Dr. Ruth Lynfield.
Ehresmann shared the CDC's guidance for Halloween, emphasizing that traditional Halloween activities are not necessarily safe but that there are alternatives that people can consider this year.
"The guidance from CDC is really not a 'do this' or 'don't do this' variety," Ehresmann said. "They break holiday activities out by risk category."
The CDC's low-risk activities include carving pumpkins, being outside at a safe distance with neighbors or friends, decorating your living space, or a scavenger hunt for children.
Moderate-risk activities include one-way trick-or-treating, where people leave out individually wrapped goodie bags. Ehresmann said health officials ask that if people are preparing those bags, they wash their hands for 20 seconds first. A socially distanced outdoor gathering would also be considered moderate risk.
High-risk activities include traditional trick-or-treating and crowded costume parties, Ehresmann said.
The full guidelines can be found on the CDC's website.
"Man, I feel like the public health buzzkill," Ehresmann said. However, she pointed out that the virus is the true "buzzkill" - not public health guidance.
In her update Wednesday, Ehresmann also reported that 33 COVID-19 cases have been linked to a Sept. 9 funeral in Martin County, where 150 to 200 people attended. She said many did not observe social distancing, and the group attended both a service at a church, and a lunch at a private residence. MDH expects more cases to be identified from that outbreak.
Ehresmann also said that 17 additional cases have been linked to that specific church.
Dr. Ruth Lynfield, MDH's medical director, said that 25 Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS-C) cases in Minnesota children have been reported to MDH. The severe syndrome is believed to be related to SARS-CoV-2.
"None of these children are currently hospitalized and fortunately we have not had any deaths due to MIS-C in Minnesota," Lynfield said, although some have been hospitalized.
There is a large disparity in the numbers of children affected, according to Lynfield, with 76% of Minnesota's cases impacting Black and Hispanic children.
Although MIS-C is rare, Lynfield said it is important for parents to seek medical care if their child has a fever, gastrointestinal symptoms, rash, red eyes or excessive fatigue.
"This is especially important if their child is known to have had COVID-19 or to have been exposed to someone with COVID-19," she said.
With cases surging in La Crosse County, Wisconsin, Minnesota's Winona County across the border has issued a travel advisory. MDH Commissioner Jan Malcolm pointed out that this demonstrates why a state-by-state strategy doesn't necessarily work.
"What happens in other states certainly does affect other states," Malcolm said.
Ehresmann added that they don't have numbers yet from community testing in Winona, but officials are worried about the transmission between states.
"We see transmission going both ways, and when you have communities that are so connected, it makes a difference regardless of the state line," she said. "The virus doesn't care where the state line is. The virus cares where people are gathering together."
Ehresmann pointed out that if someone is driving across the border for work and wearing a mask, that's not the highest risk activity. The issue is with people gathering.
11 a.m.
New COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are up Wednesday following a dip Tuesday, according to numbers released by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH).
MDH reported 690 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours and six deaths. This brings the cumulative case count to 92,100 and a total of 1,985 deaths. Of those deaths, 1,433 were in long-term care facilities.
There are now 303 patients hospitalized due to the coronavirus in Minnesota, which is up from 290 patients on Tuesday, and 148 of them are being treated in the ICU.
People between the ages of 20 and 24 make up Minnesota's largest grouping of COVID cases with 12,659 cases and a single death, followed by those 25 to 29 with 9,121 cases and three deaths. The age group between 15 and 19 accounts for 8,737 cases and zero deaths.
The largest number of deaths involve people between the ages of 85 and 89. That demographic has recorded 338 deaths in just 1,236 cases.
Hennepin County has the most coronavirus activity in the state with 26,264 cases and 926 deaths, followed by Ramsey County with 10,635 cases and 318 fatalities. Dakota Country reports 7,280 cases and 125 deaths since the pandemic began.
ARE 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.