MINNESOTA, USA — Tuesday, Nov. 23
2 a.m.
MDH Commissioner Jan Malcolm said we should prepare for infection numbers to fluctuate in a wave pattern. Days where infections are down will not signal we are overall trending downward, Malcolm said.
MDH Assistant Commissioner Dan Huff recommends Minnesotans become familiar with available testing cites in case the need for a test arises. You can find resources for testing on the MDH website. Minnesotans can request free mail-in saliva tests without the need of insurance. Otherwise, testing sites are open for walk-ins but it is strongly preferred you make an appointment.
Huff recommends anyone who has symptoms to be tested as soon as able, and anyone who has been exposed to someone with COVID-19 to test five days after exposure so that the test can pick up the virus.
Test turnaround time for saliva tests is 24-48 hours through VaultHealth, officials said.
Officials said that getting a negative test for COVID-19 is not a ticket for being able to gather for Thanksgiving since you can still contract the disease, develop symptoms and infect others later.
11 a.m.
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) reported 38 new deaths Tuesday, along with 6,423 new cases of COVID-19 in the state.
The total number of Minnesotans who have tested positive for the virus since the pandemic began is now 282,916, with 5,262 of those as antigen test results (probable cases).
After today's 38 new deaths the total number of COVID-19 deaths in Minnesota is now 3,303. Of the people who died, 2,244 lived in long term care or assisted living facilities.
To date, 15,444 Minnesotans have been hospitalized with the coronavirus since the pandemic started, with 3,540 of them needing care in the ICU.
MDH reports that 233,847 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 31,141 cases and two deaths, and ages 25-29 follow with
26,222 cases and three deaths. Those between 85 and 89 years old account for the highest number of fatalities in one age group with 602, out of 3,551 cases.
In terms of likely exposure to the coronavirus, MDH says 52,550 cases were the result of community transmission with no known contact with an infected person, and 46,832 had known contact with a person who has a confirmed case.
A total of 22,794 cases involved exposure in a congregate living setting, 4,988
were in a corrections setting, and 497 were in a homeless shelter. MDH data shows 13,900 were linked to an outbreak outside of congregate living or health care.
MDH says 17,538 cases were linked to travel. Health care workers or patients account for 7,333 of diagnosed COVID-19 cases. The source of transmission for
116,484 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 or even asymptomatic to be tested. Testing locations can be found online.
Hennepin County has the most COVID activity in the state with 60,524 cases and 1,095 deaths, followed by Ramsey County with 25,467 cases and 477 deaths, and Anoka County with 20,172 cases and 216 deaths.
Monday, Nov. 22
- Gov. Tim Walz to announced a new contact tracing app COVIDaware MN
- Another round of COVID-19 restrictions have begun in Minnesota; gyms, indoor dining closed, youth sports paused
- Walz announces $1.2 million donation from IKEA US Community Foundation to be used for mental health services
- Minnesota hospitals warn they are running out of healthy staff
- 83 of 87 counties now under distance learning recommendations
12:45 p.m.
Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Infectious Disease Director Kris Ehresmann said the state is approaching more grim COVID-19 milestones as the holidays approach.
Ehresmann said at the current pace, Minnesota will eclipse 300,000 cases this week, right around Thanksgiving. She said the state could see another 100,000 cases in the next 15 days after that.
Ehresmann said MDH officials hope that recent restrictions will help delay those milestones.
Right now, 1,778 people are hospitalized due to COVID-19 in Minnesota, according to Ehresmann, with 364 of them in intensive care.
Ehresmann gave the latest update on COVID-19 spread at a news conference with Gov. Tim Walz, announcing a new, voluntary contact tracing app to help Minnesotans find out when they’ve been exposed to the virus.
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The state of Minnesota has set up a data portal online at mn.gov/covid19.