2297 new COVID-19 cases sets daily record in Minnesota - Minneapolis Star Tribune

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Minnesota health officials reported a record-setting 2,297 new COVID-19 cases Friday, the first time that the state has surpassed a daily total of 2,000.

Friday’s case count is 50% higher than the last daily record of 1,516 cases last Saturday.

In the past, some unusually high daily numbers have included cases where reporting was delayed for several weeks. But a Minnesota Department of Health spokesman said Friday that the record-high case count includes few backlogged cases.

The number of tests reported to the state Thursday were unusually high, with 44,398 tests. That is more than double the 20,646 tests reported one day earlier.

Health officials also said that there were 13 additional deaths, with six of those among residents of long-term care facilities. In total, Minnesota so far has recorded 119,396 COVID-19 cases along with 2,212 deaths.

Even with more testing, there are many cases that go undetected either because some forgo seeking testing or may not know they are infected because they don’t have symptoms.

Still, the concern among public health officials is that community spread can eventually be transmitted to those in long-term care facilities or others who have medical conditions that make them more susceptible to COVID-19 complications.

Diabetes, obesity, heart disease and chronic kidney disease are among the underlying causes that pose a risk.

Over the past week, 314 people have been hospitalized, with 57 requiring intensive care. Hospital admission reports can take a while to reach the Health Department. While there were four admissions initially reported on Thursday, that number has been restated to 51.

State health officials announced Thursday that it will extend its “no-barrier” COVID-19 testing program another week, with free testing being offered in Montevideo, Monticello, Cambridge and Crookston.

Over the past four weeks, the program has collected about 25,000 testing samples in 21 counties.

“The acceleration in cases and community spread is a reminder that it only takes one contagious person to lead to an outbreak,” said Minnesota Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm. “Testing is one of the critical ways we can take action, to find out if we’re positive and isolate and quarantine when necessary, to fight the spread of this virus.”

The nasal swab testing is available to anyone, even those who do not have symptoms.

Minnesota is also proceeding with an expansion of COVID-19 saliva testing sites. A new site will open in Moorhead on Saturday and in Brooklyn Park on Tuesday. Samples are currently being taken in Duluth and Winona, with plans for six more locations.

The saliva test samples are currently being sent out of state for processing, but a local lab is set to open in Oakdale next week with a capacity of 30,000 samples a day.

Since the pandemic began, 105,120 of those infected are considered to be no longer infectious and do not need to be isolated.

 

 

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