Tuesday, May 26
2 p.m.
- MN National Guard did 10,000 COVID-19 tests over the weekend.
- MDH awarded $97 million in grants to health care providers.
The median age of COVID-19 cases is 42 years old, Minnesota Department of Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm said. She added that while older people tend to have bigger risks of developing severe cases, that we are seeing deaths and serious illness in "younger people."
Malcolm said the testing initiative over the weekend was very successful. The Minnesota National Guard carried out 10,000 free COVID-19 tests at six different sites.
Almost all health plans in the state have agreed to waive COVID-19 hospitalization copays through Sept. 30.
MDH has issued awarded than $97 million in grants to health care providers to help fund their response to the pandemic.
MDH Infectious Disease Director Kris Ehresmann said Minnesota has seen the largest single day increase of ICU bed usage with a jump of 41 in 24 hours.
Malcolm said she would feel comfortable eating out on June 1, and that she would ask the restaurant is they are enforcing capacity limitation, distancing is right and mask usage.
11 a.m.
The Minnesota Department of Health is reporting 21,960 total positive cases in the state. There have been 652 newly reported cases and 18 reported deaths in the last 24 hours.
The total number of completed tests is now at 209,898.
Of the total positive cases, 2,427 of them are healthcare workers.
There are now 15,523 patients who no longer require isolation.
There have been 899 deaths in the state due to the virus, and 732 of them were among cases that resided in long-term care or assisted living facilities.
MDH lists 9 deaths as probable from COVID-19. This means that COVID-19 is listed on the death certificate but there is no positive test documented for the person.
A total of 2,709 cases have required hospitalization and 570 are hospitalized as of today. There are 258 patients in ICU as of today.
The age group of people between 30-39 years has the most cases with 4,397 and 4 deaths, followed by people ages 20-29 with 4,020 cases and zero deaths.
The age age group with the most deaths is in ages 80-89 with 1,126 cases and 305 deaths.
Hennepin County has the most cases with 7,421 cases and 549 deaths, followed by Ramsey County with 2,551 cases and 98 deaths and Stearns County with 1,959 cases and 12 deaths.
In terms of likely exposure, 5,427 cases are linked to community exposure to someone who is known to have COVID-19, followed by 5,118 cases linked to congregate living, 4,646 of the cases are linked to community exposure without knowing someone who is known to have COVID-19, 1,356 cases are linked to healthcare staff and 725 cases are linked to travel. The exposure type of 4,688 cases is unknown.
Monday, May 25
- Minnesota COVID-19 cases top 21,000
- Some churches to remain closed despite relaxed order
- WWII vet to walk 100 miles for his 100th birthday, raising money for coronavirus relief
11 a.m.
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) says the number of COVID-19 cases in the state now tops 21,000, with an additional 745 people testing positive for the virus during the last 24-hour reporting period.
MDH reported Monday that 21,315 people have now been diagnosed with the coronavirus since the beginning of the pandemic. Private and state labs have performed 204,059 tests, a number that should ramp up as the National Guard steps up testing at six locations across Minnesota.
Hospitalizations continue to climb, with health officials reporting that 605 people are being treated for the coronavirus across the state, with 248 of those patients requiring care in the ICU. Both numbers mark single-day highs since MDH started keeping statistics.
Twelve more Minnesotans have lost their lives to COVID-19, bringing the total number of fatalities to 881. Of those deaths, 717, or 81%, have occurred in long-term or assisted living settings. People between the ages of 80 and 89 account for 300 deaths, while those between 90 and 99 account for 229 deaths.
MDH says 14,816 people who at one time tested positive for COVID-19 have recovered to the point they no longer require isolation.
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 companies in Minnesota are hiring. 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 hotline for general questions about coronavirus at 651-201-3920 or 1-800-657-3903, available 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.