ST PAUL, Minn. — Tuesday, Aug. 18
- MDH says downward trend in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations "coincides in time" with the mask mandate
- Hospitalization numbers back over 300
- Health officials recommend care with upcoming Labor Day travel
- Politics slows flow of US coronavirus funds to local public health
11 a.m.
New numbers shared by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Tuesday reflect 359 new cases of COVID-19, reflecting what state health officials are referring to as a downward slope of the latest coronavirus wave.
Those new cases are based on 7,402 tests performed by private and state labs, a number that is the lowest in a week, and the second lowest number of single-day tests reported by MDH since July. 6.
Minnesota has now had 66,061 people test positive for COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.
An additional nine people died from coronavirus in the past day, bringing the state total to 1,721. Of those deaths 1,287, or 75%, occurred in long-term care or assisted living settings.
The number of COVID-19 patients requiring hospital care nosed up over 300 after a two-day dip. Currently 304 people are being treated in Minnesota hospitals, with 154 in ICU.
MDH says 59,568 people who at one time tested positive for the virus have recovered sufficiently to no longer require isolation.
Those between the ages of 20 and 29, referred to by MDH in the past as the state's most social demographic, make up the largest group of Minnesota COVID-19 cases with 15,341 and four deaths. People 30 to 39 account for 12,018 cases and 14 deaths, while those 40 to 49 comprise 9,554 cases and 24 deaths. Minnesotans between 80 and 89 make up just 2,113 cases but 576 deaths, 33% of the state total.
Hennepin County has the most coronavirus cases in the state with 20,722 and 851 deaths, followed by Ramsey County with 8,170 cases and 275 fatalities. Dakota County reports 4,921 cases and 106 deaths.
Monday, Aug. 17
2 p.m.
Minnesota health officials said Monday that the state appears to be on the downward slope of the latest COVID-19 wave.
"It does look at present that we maybe have reached the crest of the latest wave and the last couple of weeks at least have been headed down," Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Commissioner Jan Malcolm said on a regular briefing call with reporters.
Malcolm referenced Monday's hospitalization rate of 286, which is the lowest it's been since late July. She said the situation in Minnesota is "fairly stable," although cases are higher than they were in late spring.
"We’re at a place where things are stable, but the concern is that we’re stable at a high rate of cases," said MDH Infectious Disease Division Director Kris Ehresmann. "So that’s something that we’re continuing to watch."
Malcolm said the stabilization and "even a trend downward" in Minnesota's COVID-19 cases "coincides in time with what we would expect to see from the mask mandate."
She said it's impossible to draw an exact cause and effect, with so many variables. Gov. Tim Walz's statewide mask mandate went into effect on Saturday, July 25 - just over three weeks ago. MDH has previously said that it takes about 21 days to see the effect of any major change or event.
"So certainly we think it’s very good news that we’ve stabilized and appear to be even trending down over that same period of time, but I can’t be any more precise than that," Malcolm said.
Ehresmann agreed, saying, "The fact that the timing is consistent with the mask mandate suggests that that may have helped in the process, but there’s no precise way to differentiate that."
During the media briefing, Ehresmann took the opportunity to remind Minnesotans that taking care of their overall health can help to prevent severe COVID-19 cases. She recommended:
- Eating a healthy, nutritious, balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables
- Getting enough sleep
- Being active every day, with higher intensity exercise most days
- Supporting mental health and well-being by controlling stress and keeping connected socially as much as possible
Ehresmann said preventing underlying conditions like type 2 diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure can help reduce the likelihood of a severe case of the coronavirus.
MDH is also urging caution as people gear up to potentially travel for Labor Day weekend. Malcolm said while MDH is not definitively recommending people stay home, it's "wise to be mindful" when traveling out of state, and consider self-quarantining afterward if going to a high-risk area or doing a high-risk activity.
For travel within the state, MDH is asking people to follow public health guidelines and be respectful of the fact that they are in someone else's home.
"The guidance that we continue to keep reminding people of, the social distancing, the masking, it’s really important that you continue to do that wherever you are both in respect of the individuals whose home you’re visiting, and to protect yourself from COVID," Ehresmann said.
11 a.m.
New numbers released by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Monday show hospitalizations from COVID-19 below the 300 mark for the second consecutive day.
Currently 286 people are being treated for the virus in hospitals across the state, 155 of them with symptoms serious enough to require treatment in the ICU. On Sunday 290 people were hospitalized, breaking a long string of 300-plus days, and continuing a slow downward trend over the past several days.
In fact, hospitalizations Monday are the lowest they've been since July 27, when 257 people were being treated on an in-patient basis.
MDH reports 567 new cases of coronavirus, based on 12,690 tests performed in private and state labs. Those new cases bring the total in Minnesota to 65,716 since the pandemic began.
Six more Minnesotans died of COVID-19 over the past 24-hour reporting period, bringing the state total of fatalities from the virus to 1,712. Of those deaths 1,280, or 75% of them, occurred in long-term or assisted living facilities.
State health officials say 58,859 people who at one time tested positive for coronavirus have recovered to the point they no longer require isolation.
Those between the ages of 20 and 29 continue to make up the largest group of Minnesota's COVID-19 cases with 15,269 and four deaths. People between 30 and 39 account for 11,964 cases and 14 deaths, while those 40 to 49 number 9,502 cases and 24 deaths. State residents 80 to 89 make up just 2,100 cases but 575 deaths, 34% of Minnesota's total.
Hennepin County has the largest share of COVID-19 cases in the state with 20,625 and 851 deaths. Ramsey County reports 8,132 cases and 274 fatalities while Dakota County has 4,881 and 106 deaths.
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.
