6-12-2020 COVID-19 Update from the MN Department of Health

Minnesota Department of Health COVID-19 Update 6-12-2020

Read the 6-10-2020 COVID-19 Update from Governor Walz and 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.

MDH Commissioner Jan Malcolm:

• Globally, 7.5 million cases, 421,000 deaths. In U.S. over 2 million cases of COVID-19, approaching 114,000 deaths.
• Total confirmed MN cases is 29,795 (up 490); total number of MN deaths is 1,274 (up 25 deaths – 8 in Hennepin County).
• Third consecutive day of increasing case counts
• 13,400 tests processed Thursday, highest testing volume yet. Daily test positivity rate of 3.7%
• 82% of the deaths in Minnesota involved people 70 or older
• Total number of people hospital lower than high point at end of May.
  • 403 people hospitalized in MN, (191 in ICU) – lowest number since early May.
  • Number of people hospitalized almost 200 less than high point a couple weeks ago.
  • Hospitalization picture “has stabilized in recent weeks,” said Malcolm.
• 3,223 people tested this week – those who attended mass gatherings/protests at community MDH test sites in Mpls and St. Paul, test positive rate was just 1.4%.
  • Malcolm encourages anyone who attending the gatherings, or even delivered food or neighborhood cleanups, to get tested.
    • MDH community testing sites can be found here. You must pre-register to get tested.
• North Memorial, HealthPartners and Hennepin Healthcare clinics provide variety of testing options, said Malcolm, including walk-in and drive-through

MDH Infectious Disease Division Director Kris Ehresmann:

• MDH monitoring states ahead of MN in the pandemic, significant number of cases, noting they’ve had to dial back their progression
• Recognizes Minnesota is trending in a good balance, wants to keep things in the direction of reopening.
  • No concerning trends in MN yet, that would provide reason to dial back
• Understands concerns about separating families from loved ones in long-term care.
  • Must still limit visitors to keep the novel coronavirus out of these facilities
  • Following CDC guidance whether to eventually allow visitors.
• Growth of in the number of new long-term care facilities having an outbreak has diminished from an average of  23 per day five weeks ago to 5 per day last week. 912 LTC facilities in state (57% have only 1-2 cases to date). 52% no longer experiencing an active outbreak.
  • 83 or 9% have had 20 or more cases to date. Just one of them no longer experiencing an outbreak.
  • May 17-23 – 141 deaths at LTC facilities; June 7-13 – 41 deaths at LTC facilities

Q&A Session and Notes:

• Working on window visitation guidance and outdoor visitation at long-term care facilities, said Malcolm.
  • MDH wants to strike balance recognizing facility patients need to see their loved ones.
• Is Minnesota better prepared than other states for second wave? Malcolm: No question more infrastructure in place to handle a second wave. This includes personal protective equipment (PPE). “We also know a lot more about the virus than we did four months ago,” said Malcolm.
  • Also recognizes fatigue surrounding social distancing and disruptions in businesses and the economic costs surrounding that.
  • Minnesota can avoid more punitive measures if Minnesotans continue to wear a mask and social distance, not to mention good hygiene and staying home when sick.
• N95 masks on back order? Concerned supplies aren’t coming? Malcolm: “We remain vigilant,” that’s why the work continues. Won’t assume back orders will come through.
• What can we learn about positivity rates at 4 community testing sites for protesters? Ehresmann: Too early to draw conclusions. Only a third of the results are back. Says it’s not surprising positivity rate is lower than say at a long-term care setting, which MDH knew there was some level of transmission.
• How many days of increases will it mean MN is on upward climb again? Ehresmann: We would expect to see sustained increases for a week or more of increased activity. 
  • It takes a while to see results of reopening and different activities. (Three weeks)
    • June 1 reopening of indoor dining, hair salons, etc
    • Protests since May 25 death of George Floyd
• No other “super-spreader” events worth noting, said Ehresmann. About 230 workplace clusters in MN that have been identified since pandemic began.
• Where are we with contact tracing? Malcolm: we have learned a lot in the last few weeks with contact tracing.
  • Malcolm: MDH has not entered into vendor contracts yet. “I’m feeling positive” about the degree of community planning around contact tracing.
  • Ehresmann: Have about 700 people trained to do contact tracing investigations.
• Four community testing sites MDH is holding should be no charge
  • testing at clinics – insurers have agreed to waive co-pays, says Malcolm
• Long-term care facilities that have been fully tested. Ehresmann: 217 facilities tested to date. 35,696 staff and residents tested. Positivity rate: still working on that number.
  • Ehresmann: Goal is to get to all LTC facilities tested, prioritizing those facilities that have had cases
  • Guidance does include retesting every 7 days, until there’s two tests at facilities without any positives.

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