MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Friday marked the fourth-straight day of Minnesota health officials reporting record daily COVID-19 cases, as another 5,454 new infections were added to the state’s tally. The state has also breached a grim record for daily COVID-19 deaths, with 36 reported in the last 24 hours.
Over the last few weeks, Minnesota health officials have documented a surge in coronavirus cases. In just the last four days, more than 16,000 new infections were counted in the state. Health officials and Gov. Tim Walz are encouraging Minnesotans to be vigilant, to continue to practice social distancing and to wear masks.
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As daily case numbers are at record levels, so are hospitalizations. According to state data, more than 1,000 people were battling the virus in Minnesota hospitals as of Thursday. Thirty percent of those patients are in intensive care beds. On the bright side, hospitals are better able to treat COVID-19 patients now than they were at the start of the pandemic.
In the last 24 hours, health officials say 45,769 tests were processed for Minnesotans, setting yet another daily record. Testing is one way health officials are tracking the spread of the disease. On Thursday, they noted that it’s often spreading via young people going out to bars and restaurants, small gatherings and events like weddings.
According to the state’s Dial Back Dashboard, Minnesota’s positivity rate is at 10% as of Oct. 28, doubling what it was at the start of October. If the positivity rate continues to climb, state officials say they might reinstate COVID-19 restrictions. What those would be is yet unknown.
The state’s COVID-19 death toll is currently at 2,591, with the vast majority of victims being patients in long-term care. Since the start of the outbreak in March, Minnesota has counted 170,307 COVID-19 infections. Of those, nearly 140,000 have recovered and no longer need to self-isolate.
Source: CBS Minnesota
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