ST PAUL, Minn. — Tuesday, Aug. 4
- MDH: 606 confirmed COVID cases on fewer tests
- CDC invites Minnesota to join 4-state COVID-19 vaccine pilot
- Sturgis Rally to go on despite virus, expecting 250K
1:45 p.m.
Gov. Tim Walz toured the Central Minnesota Council on Aging on Tuesday to highlight the state's efforts to provide masks to people who need them.
The Walz administration has partnered with community organizations to distribute nearly 400,000 cloth masks to Minnesotans who can't afford one, or can't easily obtain one. The effort comes after the statewide mask mandate was implemented two weeks ago.
Walz visited Sartell to talk about the program on Tuesday afternoon, along with the Central Minnesota Council on Aging Executive Director Lori Vrolson.
"We take care of people, and that's what we do in Minnesota, and that's what we'll continue to do," Vrolson said.
Walz said 7,500 masks will be distributed from that facility and be mailed to people who need them, among the 400,000 total.
11 a.m.
Another 606 Minnesotans have tested positive for COVID-19, according to new numbers released Tuesday by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). That is a relatively high count when considering it is based on just 8,060 completed tests, approximately half the number reported Monday.
MDH says the number of Minnesotans that have tested positive for the virus since the onset of the pandemic is now at 57,162. On Monday state health officials voiced concern that case numbers here and around the country are rising instead of falling at this time, and called developments "sobering."
Four more Minnesotans have lost their lives to COVID-19, bringing total fatalities in the state to 1,620. Of those deaths 1,233, or 76% occurred at long-term or assisted living care facilities.
Currently 328 people are being treated for the virus in hospitals across Minnesota, the highest number since June 26. MDH says 159 of those patients are being cared for in the ICU.
Health officials say 50,426 people who at one time tested positive for the coronavirus have recovered to the point they no longer require isolation.
Those between the ages of 20 and 29 remain the largest group of Minnesota COVID-19 case with 13,488 and four deaths from the virus. People between 30 and 39 account for 10,542 cases and 14 deaths, while those from 80 to 89 make up just 1,887 of the cases but account for 542 deaths. Many of those deaths occurred in congregate care facilities.
Hennepin County is responsible for 32% of Minnesota's total COVID-19 cases, reporting 18,197 with 820 fatalities. Ramsey County reports 7,047 cases and 261 deaths, with Dakota County at 4,049 cases and 103 deaths.
Monday, August 3
2 p.m.
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is urging compliance with public health guidance as COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations rise.
MDH Commissioner Jan Malcolm said Monday that more than 2,000 additional cases have been confirmed in the state since Friday. The test positivity rate, or the percentage of tests that come back positive, rose to 5% over the weekend and is now at 5.1%. MDH has previously said that a rate of 5% over at least five days in a row would be a concerning milestone.
“The pace of growth in our country and around the world is pretty sobering,” Malcolm said. “Very sobering point in the pandemic for all of us.”
Malcolm said there has been a 19% increase in the number of patients in the ICU and a 5% increase in other hospitalizations over the past week in Minnesota.
"We’ve been noting and feeling grateful over the last few weeks with a declining hospital census," Malcolm said, but MDH has anticipated a rise in hospitalizations as cases rise in the state.
Malcolm also said they are continuing to urge the public to follow state health department guidelines, among reports of a rodeo in northern Minnesota last week with several thousand people in attendance, and the Sturgis bike rally set to go on with 250,000 attendees.
"The impact of COVID-19 on our schools, our businesses and our family and friends is largely going to be determined by the decisions that each of us makes," Malcolm said. "We all need Minnesotans to do our parts and we thank the great majority of people who are doing just that and paying close attention to social distancing and mask wearing and avoiding large crowds and gatherings."
Malcolm pointed out that South Dakota has seen recent spikes in COVID-19 cases.
"We are concerned with any large gathering; sustained contact of that nature is sort of a recipe for something to happen," she said. "We would expect that we might see cases in Minnesota from that later in August and into September."
People attending the rally should be aware of the risks and self-monitor for symptoms, Malcolm said. They should also consider getting tested for COVID-19 five to seven days after the event.
Malcolm said they have had 370 recent complaints about potential bar and restaurant violations of Gov. Tim Walz's executive orders, 24 of which were made on Friday.
On Monday's briefing call, MDH Infectious Disease Division Director Kris Ehresmann made a request for people to participate in convalescent plasma programs if they've had COVID-19 in the past, and for the general public to donate blood.
Ehresmann also warned about a scam making the rounds locally with fake guidance on masks, purporting to be from the CDC.
As the test positivity rate rises in Minnesota, Ehresmann said the guidance from federal authorities is to begin rolling back reopening measures.
"When our case numbers go up and when we see those challenges with increases cases and increased use of ICU, then that is the recommendation we hear," Ehresmann said. "That is the recommendation that's coming from our federal partners."
Ehresmann said that it's too early to tell exactly what long-term impact COVID-19 may have on patients, but "there is data suggestive of the fact that having COVID may have more lasting consequences than people initially thought."
11 a.m.
New numbers released Monday by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) reflect 622 new cases of COVID-19 across the state. That number is a dip of more than 100 from Sunday's numbers, even though nearly 700 more tests were performed in the past day than in the previous day.
Minnesota now has registered 56,560 cases of the coronavirus since the onset of the pandemic.
Two more Minnesotans perished from the virus over the past 24-hour reporting period, bringing fatalities to 1,616. Of that number 1,231, or 76% of the state's total deaths, have occurred in a long-term care or assisted living facility.
Currently 302 people are being treated for COVID-19 in hospitals across Minnesota, 153 of them in the ICU. Those numbers are slightly down from earlier last week, but have generally been going up for most of July. .
MDH says 49,565 people who at one time tested positive for the virus have recovered enough to no longer require isolation.
Those between the ages of 20 and 29 continue to make up the largest group of cases in the state, with 13,370 and four deaths. People 30 to 39 comprise the second largest caseload with 10,438 and 14 deaths, while those between the ages of 80 and 89 account for just 1,878 cases but 541 deaths, 33% of the state's total.
Hennepin County remains the case leader in the state, with 18,009 and 819 deaths. Ramsey County reports 6,944 cases and 261 deaths, while Dakota County has registered 3,991 case and 103 deaths.
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The state of Minnesota has set up a data portal online at mn.gov/covid19.