Coronavirus Daily Briefing: Health officials urge people to get tested, highlight encouraging and concerning recent trends

Josh Skluzacek

[anvplayer video=”4919199″ station=”998122″]

Monday afternoon, Minnesota health officials provided the latest update on the COVID-19 situation in the state.

Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Commissioner Jan Malcolm and Infectious Disease Division Director Kris Ehresmann addressed several different topics related to COVID-19 in Minnesota.

Below are some of the main takeaways from the daily update:

  • Malcolm said one of the newly reported deaths Monday was someone in their 20s without any underlying health conditions, the second such case of a younger person without any underlying conditions dying from COVID-19 in just the past few days.
  • Some lower-risk sports in the state could return by the end of June, according to MDH.
  • Despite some online rumors, MDH said there’s not any new fee being charged to businesses. A rumored $40 fee businesses have been charged is a hospitality fee that’s been in place since 2005, according to Malcolm.
  • MDH has been and continues to work with the Minnesota Department of Education about plans for the new school year in the fall and is planning for several different scenarios depending on how the pandemic plays out. Malcolm and Ehresmann said they haven’t yet made any final determinations on whether or not students should be allowed back in schools.
  • Ehresmann said they’re happy that the number of people hospitalized and in the ICU is dropping but there are also some concerns, such as more young, healthy people dying recently.
  • MDH is watching but hasn’t seen anything clear regarding seasonality with the virus, so far.
  • MDH updated testing shown on its website dashboard to reflect people who receive multiple tests. Previously, the site had only been listing each person once, even if they received multiple tests. It will now record each test.
  • With recent protests, MDH again urged people who participated in any protests, rallies or events to get tested for COVID-19.

Click the video box above to listen to Monday’s full briefing.

KSTP’s Full COVID-19 Coverage

Minnesota sees 338 new cases, 11 additional COVID-19 deaths

French lab scientists in hazmat gear inserting liquid in test tube manipulate potentially infected patient samples at Pasteur Institute in Paris, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2020.[AP Photo/Francois Mori]

Officials urge Floyd protesters to get coronavirus tests