MDH: 609 new COVID-19 cases, 5 new deaths

Friday, the Minnesota Department of Health reported there are 609 new cases that have tested positive for COVID-19, creating a total of 40,767 cases in the state.

MDH reports there are 1,495 total deaths, with five additional deaths reported Friday. Of the total, 1,166 have occurred in long-term care or assisted living facilities, MDH reported.

The department stated, as of Friday, 725,825 tests have been completed. According to MDH data, 3.2% of Thursday’s cases were positive for COVID-19.

According to MDH, 4,329 total cases have required hospitalization. Of that total, 227 remained in the hospital Friday with 124 in intensive care.

MDH stated that 35,442 patients no longer need to be isolated. MDH is now reporting that the number of patients who no longer need isolation represents individuals with confirmed COVID-19 who no longer need to self-isolate. That number "does not include those who have died; the cumulative number was adjusted to reflect that change."

According to WDIO, Ashland County leaders say 13 new cases are tied to a hockey event hosted in the county. Those cases span across a tri-state area with more tests pending. Ashland County itself has three cases. The event included eight teams from three different states.

According to the Johns Hopkins Center for Systems Science and Engineering, the virus has infected more than 12.3 million people worldwide and killed about 555,875.

More than 6.7 million people worldwide have recovered as of Friday.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, patients with confirmed COVID-19 have mild to severe respiratory problems, with symptoms of fever, cough and shortness of breath. Some patients report having muscle aches, headache, sore throat, and/or chills and shaking.

Note: According to MDH – "Because all data are preliminary, the change in number of cumulative positive cases and deaths from one day to the next may not equal the newly reported cases or deaths."