MDH reports number of COVID-19 related deaths rises to 683; total number of positive cases in the state now above 14,000; Mower County with 54 cases

The Minnesota Department of Health announced Friday that the total number of deaths due to the COVID-19, or coronavirus has risen to 683, and the total number of positive cases in the state have risen past 14,000.

Health officials reported that the state now has a total of 14,240 positive cases, which was up 808 from the 13,435 reported on Thursday, and the 683 deaths due to the virus was up 20 from the 663 reported on Thursday.  They added that 554 COVID-19 related deaths thus far in Minnesota have been from cases that resided in long-term or assisted living facilities.  Mower County reported four more positive COVID-19 cases Friday for a total of 54, up from the 50 reported on Thursday, and Olmsted County reported 417 cases, up 18 from 399 on Thursday.  Rice County again saw a surge in its number of positive cases Friday with 197, up 16 from 181 on Thursday, and Steele County also saw an uptick in positive cases Friday with 92, seven more than the 85 cases reported Thursday.  Blue Earth County recorded 76 cases Friday, up from 71 on Thursday and Winona County reported 75 cases, up from 74 on Thursday.  Freeborn County reported three more positive cases of COVID-19 Friday to raise its total from 52 Thursday to 55 Friday, Dodge County recorded 30 cases, up from 28 on Thursday and Goodhue County reported 29 cases for the second day in a row.  Waseca County saw its number of cases rise from 16 on Thursday to 19 on Friday, and Houston County continued to report two.

The Department of Health reported that there are now 1,985 cases involving hospitalization in Minnesota, with 498 patients hospitalized for the second day in a row as of Friday, and the number of patients being treated in intensive care units dropped from 203 Thursday to 200 on Friday.  1,702 healthcare workers in Minnesota have tested positive for COVID-19, and 9,503 patients no longer need to be isolated.  The total approximate number of tests in Minnesota now stands at 134,669 and counting.