Some positive news in the state health department's latest briefing on COVID-19.
Minnesota Department of Health Facility Complaints Director Lindsey Krueger says the percentage of deaths in the state's long-term care facilities is down significantly from April's high of 84%.
"In April of 2020, the total percentage of Minnesota deaths that resided in a nursing home or an assisted living type of facilty was at 84.2%," Krueger said on the daily call with media. "In May, that decreased to 79.9%. In June, 68.6%, in July 67.3% and in August, the total number of Minnesota deaths was 52.1%. I wanted to highlight this data today because it is a great success to mention."
Thursday the state reported 389 new positive COVID-19 cases and 15 deaths, The majority of the deaths were elderly people living in long-term care or assisted living facilities.
The state health department continues the contact tracing following a large COVID-19 outbreak at a late-August wedding in the southwestern Minnesota town of Ghent.
Infectious Disease Director Kris Ehresmann says there are now 75 cases linked to the event.
"No necessarily that there was a single superspreader, but just simply that this is the largest event we have seen pertaining to disease transmission for a single event," Ehresmann said.