Coronavirus Updates: The Latest COVID-19 Headlines From April 23, 2020

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- On Wednesday, Gov. Tim Walz announced that Minnesota should be able to test 20,000 people per day for COVID-19 through a partnership involving the Mayo Clinic and the University of Minnesota. This increase in capability should ensure that every person in the state with symptoms of the novel coronavirus gets a test, officials say.

Here are the latest COVID-19 headlines:

• 7:22 p.m.: Minnesota Rep. Hagedorn votes to extend relief for southern Minnesota's workforce, hospitals and small businesses.
• 6:51 p.m.: HealthPartners plans to furlough 10% of its workforce, President and CEO takes 40% pay cut.
• 6:18 p.m.: MN National Guard physician recovers from COVID, now helping patients again.
• 5:44 p.m.: There are now five COIVD-19 cases in Hennepin County Jail.
• 5:18 p.m.: U.S. House sends President Trump nearly $500 billion package for small business, hospitals in latest bid to counter pandemic.
• 4:45 p.m.: Minnesota non-profit Be The Match donates 100,000 swabs across the U.S. for COVID-19 testing.
• 3:55 p.m.: Workers at two food processing plants in Stearns County test positive for COVID-19.
• 3:46 p.m.: MSHSL announced that all spring athletics and activities are officially canceled for the 2019-2020 school year.
• 3:11 p.m.: Minnesota Historical Society calls on Minnesotans to share COVID-19 stories, experiences.
• 2:01 p.m.: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announces schools will remain closed for the rest of the year, and announces plan to loosen restrictions on businesses.
• 2:00 p.m.: Wisconsin health officials say there are now 5,052 positive cases and 257 deaths due to COVID-19.
• 12:50 p.m.: Target reports record online sales as Americans stay at home.
• 12:20 p.m.: Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey signs emergency regulation 2020-11, which provides guidance on operating regulations at licensed congregate health care facilities.
• 11:40 a.m.: Minnesota State Fair General Manager Jerry Hammer says outlook of Great-Minnesota-Get-Together remains unknown.
• 11:11 a.m.: Faribault Foods says two of its employees tested positive for COVID-19. The pair are now on paid leave to self quarantine, along with others who had contact with them. Business was temporarily halted, to allow an outside cleaning service to decontaminate their common areas -- now, production has resumed on Thursday.
• 11:00 a.m.: MDH reported 21 more deaths and 221 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the state's total to 200 deaths and 2,942 cases.They have also tested over 51,000 people, and over 1,500 patients no longer need isolation.
• 10:51 a.m.: Gov. Walz is expected to announce that schools will remain closed for the rest of the year.
• 9:59 a.m.: Sen. Elizabeth Warren announced her eldest brother, Don Reed, passed away from COVID-19 in Oklahoma. 
• 9:44 a.m.: HealthPartners announces it will waive costs for all Virtuwell visits through May 31.
• 9:41 a.m.: Minnesota Energy Resources to support area food banks with COVID-19 relief efforts.
• 9:23 a.m.: Sen. Bernie Sanders to host virtual town hall with state attorneys general to discuss their response to the pandemic.
• 9:13 a.m.: St. Paul Superintendent Joe Gothard to hold virtual family meeting Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Learn more here.
• 8:46 a.m.: Vice President Mike Pence is scheduled to visit the Mayo Clinic in Rochester next week.
• 7:34 a.m.: Another 4.4 million U.S. workers have filed for unemployment, bringing the total number of jobless Americans to 26 million since the start of the outbreak.
• 6:40 a.m.: According to a CBS News poll, more than 60% of Americans are worried that states will open up too fast and that the coronavirus outbreak will get worse.
• 5:45 a.m.: The U.S. death toll is nearing 47,000 and still climbing fast. Researchers say that fatalities in the country could hit 50,000 this weekend.

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