The Minnesota Department of Health had previously not disclosed the number of known cases and deaths at individual facilities, citing patient privacy. But it reversed course Friday after Republican Sen. Karin Housley threatened to subpoena the department for the data.
Walz’s latest order goes further in easing rules aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19 than state officials had previously predicted.
Senate Republicans have been pushing a bill that would require legislative approval for the spending of federal CARES Act money. Walz opposes that, since the current process allows him to spend the federal dollars as he wishes, with a requirement only that he notify the Legislature.
In a letter to the agency, state Sen. Karin Housley said the Senate’s Family Care and Aging Committee, which Housley chairs, has tried to learn more from the Minnesota Department of Health about the spread of COVID-19 in the state’s long-term care facilities, to little avail.
A total of 1,115 Minnesotans have now died from COVID-19, the Minnesota Department of Health said Thursday. MDH also said Thursday there have been 26,273 total confirmed cases.
A look at what we learned from Ellison’s remarks about the case, and from Gov. Tim Walz, who spoke to reporters after the charges against the officers became public.
MDH also said Wednesday there have been 25,870 total confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Minnesota, up 362 from Tuesday’s count.
A group of DFL lawmakers are now calling for the special session to focus on police reform, helping black communities and funding recovery projects for Minneapolis businesses.
Even as coronavirus continues to ravage those living in long-term care facilities in Minnesota, the Department of Health has refused to reveal the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths at each facility.
MDH also said Monday there have been 25,208 total confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Minnesota, up 358 from Sunday’s count.
Among other things, Gov. Tim Walz thinks the three other former Minneapolis Police officers involved in the Floyd case should also be charged with crimes. And that he appreciated a call from Jay-Z.
Walz said he now believes that much of the violence is being fanned by well-organized groups trained in urban warfare, while his public safety commissioner says there’s evidence that right-wing extremists and white supremacists have organized efforts to foster unrest.
Led by Attorney General Keith Ellison, the task force offered an extensive set of recommendations for how to prevent law enforcement from using deadly force on civilians — and how best to respond when police do kill people.
“This is not going to be an easy journey,” the Minnesota governor said at a Friday morning news conference. “But the one thing we have to assure is that civil order is maintained so those changes we want to see” can happen. “None of us want to live in a society where roving bands go unchecked and do what they want to do, to ruin property.”
Sens. Michelle Benson of Ham Lake, Jim Abeler of Anoka and Mary Kiffmeyer of Big Lake said they had heard the system was meant to foster contact tracing — to collect the names of diners to use in case of a coronavirus exposure.
Though landlords and housing advocates continue to fear ‘train wreck’ for tenants without rental assistance deal by the Minnesota Legislature.
The Minnesota Department of Health also said Wednesday there have been 22,464 total confirmed cases of COVID-19, up 504 from Tuesday’s count, while a total of 216,532 COVID-19 tests have been completed, up 7,000 from Wednesday.
State government, county officials and nonprofit organizations have seen a significant increase in people needing help paying for food, housing and other daily costs.
Walz and his commissioners have offered different explanations for new rules affecting restaurants and salons, part of the state’s latest effort to open the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The Minnesota Department of Health also reported Monday that another 12 people have died of COVID-19, for a total of 881 so far.
