10-9 COVID-19 Update from MN Department of Health

Minnesota Department of Health COVID-19 Update 10-9-2020

Read the 10-7-2020 COVID-19 Update from the Minnesota Department of Health Here

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

October 9, 2020 COVID-19 Update:

MDH Commissioner Jan Malcolm:

• Globally, 36.5 million cases since pandemic began; 1.06 million deaths
• In U.S., 7.64 million cases since start of pandemic; 212,000 deaths
• “These numbers are getting a little bit rote sometimes, feeling,” said Malcolm. “Each of these numbers represent a person, a family member, a loved one, a member of our community.” 
• In Minnesota, 109, 312 total cases (1,401 cases over prior reporting day on nearly 32,000 tests processed)
• Of the 109,312 cases, 97,715 (89%) are no longer considered infections
• Median age of cases is 36.0 (this is an increase, seeing transmission to higher risk populations)
• In Minnesota, 2,121 cumulative deaths (up 14 deaths)
• Age breakdown of the 14 newly reported deaths: 1 in 50s, 2 in 60s, 4 in 70s, 3 in 80s, 3 in 90s, 1 in 100s.
• 12 of the 14 new deaths occurred at long-term care or assisted living facilities.
• 7-day average case positivity rate is 5.0% (down from 5.4% a week prior). 5% considered a concerning threshold in positive cases.

MDH Director of Infectious Disease and Epidemiology Kris Ehresmann:

• “We’re worried that we have multiple warning lights coming onto our dashboard,” said Ehresmann.
• “Our hottest of the hot spots are now outside the [Twin Cities] metro area,” said Ehresmann. Martin and Pipestone counties above 10% positivity
• Also concerned about rapid rise in cases in Wisconsin.
• Added hospital capacity to MDH COVID-19 data dashboard

MDE Deputy Commissioner Heather Mueller:

• Updated 14-day county case rates per 10,000 people used by school districts for learning model decisions released Thursday.
  • Hennepin County 14-day rate (9/13 to 9/26) is 21.42 cases per 10,000 people.
  • This is the highest 14-day rate in Hennepin County since late July (7/12-7/25)

Q&A Session and Notes:

• Malcolm notes case increases at long-term care facilities. “The good news is still the great majority of the facilities do not have active outbreaks,” said Malcolm.
  • Long-term care facility cases have increased over the last week, said Ehresmann. Added 77 new cases today.
  • The majority of cases are in staff outside the work environment, the virus then transmitted in LTC facilities, Ehresmann said.
• Testing 60% more people this month than last month, said Malcolm, “But prevalence of the virus is not declining.” “There is a lot of disease out there,” said Ehresmann.
• “ICU capacity is tight,” said Malcolm, but notes it’s not that atypical. COVID-19 cases a small portion of cases in ICUs. “We’re watching it closely,” Malcolm said of ICU capacity.
• From Sept. 18 President Trump rally in Bemidji – 9 cases of COVID-19 from people attending rally, including one person in a Minnesota ICU
• Updated guidance for restaurants and bars. “It’s an attempt to give a little more flexibility to restaurants, it does not increase restaurant capacity guidance overall,” said Malcolm.
• Minnesota kind of “on an island” compared to neighboring states that have higher spike in cases and case positivity rates (Iowa, Wisconsin, South Dakota). “We could very well up like our neighbors if we’re not careful,” said Ehresmann.

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