The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Minnesota rises by 26 from Thursday to 115 Friday.
Health officials reiterate that the number is an undercount since, due to a national shortage in testing supplies, the state limited testing to those hospitalized and living in congregate housing such as long-term care, as well as healthcare workers.
Fifteen cases are through community transmission; eight people have been hospitalized in total.
Gov. Tim Walz says he’s not ready to declare a shelter-in-place like California, Illinois and New York.
“I, at this point in time, was not prepared and am not prepared to make that (declaration), but I am prepared, if sometime in the future it becomes necessary with the data and where we’re at to make that decision,” he said.
Walz says he's ramping up efforts in Minnesota to produce more products here. For example: Digi-Key helping with shipping and logistics, Anderson Fabrics with scrubs, and the Mall of America with its open space.
“Things necessary to do the tests are not available anymore,” Walz said. “And so we are out searching. Mayo is doing this and one of the things I’ve asked our team to explore is let's just make it here. If we need to, let’s just start manufacturing here. I say that not knowing how long it takes to stand up a fator to make reagents. Those are the things I’m asking the team to give to us so that we can become self-contained.”
Minnesota Department of Health Infectious Disease director Kris Ehresmann says concerns about community mitigation are heard, especially in parts of the state without confirmed cases, but the appropriate measures are in place.
“This should not be construed to mean that counties that do not have cases are safe,” she said. “Or that the 115 cases represent the absolute number of COVID-19 cases in the state. We have evidence of community transmission in Minnesota. This means that COVID-19 is circulating in all of our communities.”
More than 95,000 people have applied for unemployment in Minnesota. The prior week-long record was 18,000, but the state’s fund is equipped to handle the influx, DEED Commissioner Steve Grove said.
Walz signed executive orders Friday prohibiting price gouging, allowing DHS to adjust regulations to allow more people to stay on federal programs and also opening MNSure enrollment to uninsured people.
Leaders also reminded folks that volunteers are needed at local food shelves as well as blood donation centers.
