As COVID-19 cases rise in Minnesota, officials are reminding bar and restaurant workers and customers to follow strict regulations.
The state has recently seen a spike in cases over the past several days, with the daily case count peaking at more than 800 on Saturday. The median age of those infected with the virus is continuing to decrease, which officials say could be partly due to younger people going to bars and restaurants and socializing more.
Officials cautioned that if restaurants and bars do not follow regulations, such as requiring face masks and limiting the amount of people at the establishment, they will be inspected and held responsible.
“If compliance is still not happening, further regulatory actions are possible,” said Minnesota Department of Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm at a news briefing Monday.
While hospitalizations and deaths are currently at lower levels, officials caution this could change. Even though younger people are more likely to have mild symptoms or no symptoms at all, they can pass the virus on to more vulnerable members of the population, which would likely lead to an increase in hospitalizations and deaths.
“That’s what we’re frankly expecting to see as well in the coming weeks, is kind of that second and third generation transmission of these more recent cases,” Malcolm said.
Additionally, the percentage of people testing positive for the virus is continuing to increase, reaching a 4.7 percent average over the last seven days. Officials warn that if the rate reaches 5 percent, that would indicate more rapid community spread of the virus.
MONDAY’S REPORTED CASES AND DEATHS
The death toll in Minnesota from COVID-19 reached 1,504 on Monday, with an additional two deaths — the lowest daily count reported since mid-April.
The state data reports another 499 confirmed infections, increasing Minnesota’s total number of cases to 42,772. The actual number of cases is likely much higher as the data only represents those who have been tested for the virus, state officials say.
Monday’s reported deaths included a Ramsey County resident in their 80s and a Renville County resident in their 90s. One of the two deaths was a resident of a long-term care or assisted living center.
Of the state’s total deaths, 1,172 were residents of long-term care or assisted living centers, according to Minnesota Department of Health data updated Monday morning.
HOW ARE PATIENTS DOING?
- There were 37,199 patients Monday that no longer need to be isolated as they have recovered enough. This is an increase from the 36,582 reported Sunday.
- There were 247 patients with COVID-19 in Minnesota hospitals, down slightly from from 251 the day before.
- Of those patients in hospitals, 114 are in intensive care, a decrease from the 123 reported on Sunday. This is the lowest that ICU hospitalization levels have been since April 26.
WHO IS GETTING SICK?
- Number of health care workers with COVID-19: 4,104
- The age group with the most cases is 20- to 29-year-olds with 9,831 cases.
- The age group with the most deaths is 80- to 89-year-olds with 513 deaths.
