MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Saturday was the second day in a row with a reported COVID-19 case count over 3,000. Minnesota health officials said there were 3,021 new cases and 20 additional deaths.
The update comes after two days of broken records for positive cases in the state; Thursday’s record of 2,872 cases was broken with Friday’s 3,165 cases.
Saturday’s numbers bring the state’s total positive coronavirus case count to 148,472. While 127,362 of those patients no longer need to self-isolate, 2,457 people have died. Six counties also reported over 100 new cases on Friday: Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, Sterns, and Washington.
Since the outbreak began, more than 10,200 people have been hospitalized in the state, with 2,695 of them taken into intensive care.
As the COVID-19 case count climbs, testing has also increased. Over 35,000 tests were administered Friday. Over 2.8 million tests have been processed and over 1.8 million people have been tested, according to MDH.
Saliva testing sites have opened in St. Paul and St. Cloud, with more planned throughout Minnesota. Free community testing sites are also open throughout the state.
MORE: MDH’s COVID-19 Situation Update
On Friday, both presidential candidates visited Minnesota; though President Trump had initially planned a rally at the Rochester airport, it was scaled back to only allow 250 guests due to Minnesota’s COVID-19 guidelines. Former Vice President Biden made his second visit to the state with a drive-thru car rally at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.
As the number of cases has climbed this month, so has the state’s positivity rate. According to the state’s Dial Back Dashboard, Minnesota’s positivity rate is at 7% as of Oct. 21. If the positivity rate continues to climb, health officials may tighten the state’s COVID-19 restrictions.
Source: CBS Minnesota
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