10-16 COVID-19 Update: Cases Reach New One-Day Minnesota Record

Minnesota Department of Health COVID-19 Update 10-16-2020

Read the 10-13-2020 COVID-19 Update from the Minnesota Department of Health Here

The Minnesota Department of Health held a conference call Friday to brief members of the media on the latest public health information regarding COVID-19.

October 16, 2020 COVID-19 Update

MDH Commissioner Jan Malcolm:

• Globally, 39 million cases since start of pandemic; 1.1 million deaths
• In U.S., 8.02 million cases since pandemic began; 218,000 deaths
• In Minnesota, 119,396 confirmed cumulative cases (up 2,297 cases over prior reporting day)
• The 2,297 cases set new daily record, a 50% increase over previous record high of 1,516 cases last Saturday. However, case record came on 44,398 tests, the state’s highest one-day volume
• In Minnesota, 2,212 total deaths (up 13)
• 7 of the 13 newly reported deaths occurred at long-term care facilities
• Testing volume up 65% since early September.
• 7-day case positivity rate at 5.3% (up from 5% from last week). At 5% or above for 18 straight days now.
• Believes increase in cases attributed to asymptomatic community spread. “It spreads when you don’t know it,” said Malcolm. Community spread, which is transmission of unknown origin, is at all-time high.
• “I’m very saddened and, frankly, deeply worried about today’s numbers, but I’m sadly not surprised,” said Malcom.
• 12 of past 16 days, case counts over 1,000
• Hospitalizations also on the rise: 461 people in hospital currently, 137 in Minnesota ICUs.
• Due to testing demand, saliva PCR testing begins Tuesday in Brooklyn Park.

MDH Infectious Disease Director Kris Ehresmann:

• On Health care worker transmission and exposures: number of high-risk exposures (high risk is without full protective equipment) has increased monthly since June.
  • Increases coming in social or household exposures with health care workers.
  • Health care workers as likely to transmit to coworkers than to patients.
  • One health care worker incident that led to many frontline worker cases involved a wedding

Hennepin Healthcare CEO Jennifer DeCubellis:

• “We’ve gotten better at managing the disease, but we haven’t conquered it,” said DeCubellis.
• Health systems across the state are partnering with each other and the Minnesota Hospital Association to provide better care. Haven’t seen this nationally.
• “The number of beds, the number of rooms has not been our biggest concern,” she said. “The biggest concern has been that COVID-19 is a preventable illness and we’re not doing well enough in Minnesota to protect each other.”

Q&A Session and Notes:

• On possibility of dialing back in public spaces: “If folks follow the guidance that is in place,” Malcolm said, it can work. “This is an ongoing conversation.”
• DeCubellis: Most hospital systems had to pull beds offline due to staffing shortages.
• On return time on testing: Malcolm says longer turnaround times with national labs, 5-6 days. Saliva testing sites, including Brooklyn Park site, meant to decrease turnaround times. Minnesota opening Oakdale lab this fall (expected opening in November) to process 30,000 saliva tests per day.
• This isn’t just certain settings, or one type of establishment, it’s everywhere, said Malcolm, citing COVID fatigue. Family gatherings a big part of the spread, people letting their guard down.
• Number of Somali staff working at MDH to help East African community.

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