MinnPost provides updates on coronavirus in Minnesota Sunday through Friday. The information is published following a press phone call with members of the Walz administration or after the release of daily COVID-19 figures by the Minnesota Department of Health.
Here are the latest updates from November 11, 2020:
Fifty-six more Minnesotans have died of COVID-19, the Minnesota Department of Health said Wednesday — the highest single-day total yet for coronavirus deaths in the state. The previous one-day high was 36. A total of 2,754 Minnesotans have now died of the disease.
Of the people whose deaths were announced Wednesday, two were in their 50s, five were in their 60s, 11 were in their 70s, 19 were in their 80s, 18 were in their 90s and one was age 100 or older. Thirty-eight of the 56 deaths announced Wednesday were residents of long-term care facilities.
MDH also said Wednesday there have been 194,570 total cases of COVID-19 in Minnesota. The number of positives is up 4,889 from Tuesday’s count. MDH did not update new test numbers at 11 a.m. as is usual due to “‘technical difficulties” but said the numbers would be updated “as soon as possible.”
Gov. Tim Walz told Minnesota Public Radio that case positivity for Wednesday was more than 20 percent. The seven-day average case positivity, which lags by a week, is now 12 percent — more than double the 5 percent caution threshold. You can find the seven-day positive case average over time here.
The current caseload and death toll combines Minnesotans with positive PCR tests and positive antigen tests approved under a Food and Drug emergency authorization use. MDH added antigen tests to case counts on Oct. 14.
Hospitalizations continue to rise, a signal that more deadly weeks are to come. The most recent data available show 282 Minnesotans are hospitalized in intensive care with COVID-19, up from 198 a week prior and 163 two weeks prior; 1,017 are in the hospital with COVID-19 not in intensive care. You can find more information about Minnesota’s current ICU usage and capacity here.
More information on cases can be found here.
Today on MinnPost
- Asking yourself how long it’s been since this all started? Us too.
- As always, a look at the numbers on the MinnPost COVID-19 dashboard.
Around the web
- Dr. Anthony Fauci says a vaccine could be widely available to the average American by April, from the Boston Globe.
- Whereas masks were early believed to be most effective at keeping others — not the wearer — safe, the CDC says there’s now evidence they help the wearer, too. From CNN.
- Covid Superspreader Risk Is Linked to Restaurants, Gyms, Hotels, from Bloomberg.
MDH’s coronavirus website: https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/index.html
MDH’s phone line for COVID-19 questions, Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m: 651-297-1304
