Coronavirus In Minnesota: 1,427 People Have Contracted COVID-19 And 64 Patients Have Died Because Of It
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — The Minnesota Department of Health says 7 more people have died because of COVID-19 related causes, raising the state's total death toll to 64. In their daily update, state health officials said 1,427 people in total have now tested positive for the illness. That marks an increase in 91 since Friday.
The actual amount of COVID-19 infections could be significantly higher, as testing has been seriously limited across the country.
So far, 35,404 people in all have been tested for coronavirus in Minnesota. 33,977 of those tests came back negative. Of the positive tests, 793 people have recovered and no longer need to be in isolation. At the same time, 145 patients are currently in the hospital, with 69 listed in intensive care beds.
MDH says a portion of the deaths in Minnesota happened among patients who lived in long-term care facilities. They've published a list of all facilities with known COVID-19 outbreaks.
Health experts have said the virus is very contagious -- which is why social distancing is needed -- and also why the spread of COVID-19 is more likely in congregate living environments, schools and other large gatherings.
On Saturday, New York City mayor Bill de Blasio made national headlines when he announced that all NYC schools will be closed for the remainder of the year. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has yet to make that official here, but he has already said that the decision is "likely."
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Researchers are at work predicting how COVID-19 may spread in Minnesota. On Friday they released information about how they do their jobs in an effort to be more transparent.
The disease, which originated in Wuhan, China, attacks a person's lungs. This is why there is currently a dire need for ventilators (medical devices that can assist a weakened person with their breathing). In most cases, the illness causes mild symptoms, and many patients have been asymptomatic altogether. However, it can be prove fatal in the elderly, those with underlying health conditions, or people with a history of smoking. In some major metropolitan communities in the U.S., the hardest hit communities have been people of color.
To help prevent the spread of COVID-19, you are encouraged to wash your hands frequently and avoid touching your eyes or nose unnecessarily.