Coronavirus In Minnesota: 786 New COVID-19 Cases Reported As Death Toll Breaches 500
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MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- As COVID-19 testing in Minnesota has dramatically increased this week, so too have the number of new cases. On Thursday, the state added another 786 cases to its tally, marking the second day in a row that the state has set a daily record for new cases. On Wednesday, the number of new cases was 728.
Meanwhile, 23 more people have died of the virus, bringing the state's death toll to 508. More than 400 of the victims were residents in long term care facilities, such as nursing homes. The virus spreads quickly in such confined environments and is deadly to the elderly residents, many of whom suffer from underlying health issues.
In state hospitals, 435 people are currently battling the disease, health officials say. Some 182 patients are in intensive care beds -- up two since Wednesday. On a positive note, 4,800 people have recovered from the disease and no longer need to be in isolation.
Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus began in March, Minnesota has confirmed 9,365 cases of COVID-19, the illness it causes. The virus first entered a human body last year in Wuhan, China. According to researchers, the virus has since infected nearly 4 million people worldwide and killed more than 250,000.
Testing capabilities in Minnesota continue to mount, with more than 4,000 tests being processed in the last 24 hours in both private and state-run labs. While that figure is below the 5,000 daily tests officials had hoped for by this time, it still shows the state making progress towards its goal of processing 20,000 tests a day. Good news on that front also came Thursday, as North Memorial opened a new drive-through testing site open to anyone showing at least one symptom, such as a fever or trouble breathing.
For 40 days, Minnesota has been under a stay-at-home order, resulting in the shuttering of the state economy and more than 600,000 Minnesotans seeking unemployment benefits, about 20% of the state's workforce.
Earlier this week, the financial toll of the pandemic on the state's budget was made clear. Officials announced Tuesday that Minnesota is now facing a $2.4 billion deficit for the current biennium -- a nearly $4 billion change since a surplus was forecasted just weeks before the outbreak spread to Minnesota.
Gov. Tim Walz has justified the state's stay-at-home order by saying that it's slowed the spread of the virus and allowed the state's health care system to prepare for a possible surge in cases, as well as stock up on vital supplies.
Recently, he's also made adjustments to the stay-at-home order, allowing certain sectors of the economy to reopen. Just this week, retailers were allowed to do curbside pickup and doctors were given a "road map" on elective surgeries, which could resume as early as next week.
So far, Minnesota has yet to see its peak in COVID-19 cases. The governor's stay-at-home order is set to expire on May 18. It could yet be extended.
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