COVID-19 pandemic in Minnesota

The COVID-19 pandemic in Minnesota is part of an ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the state of Minnesota. The first confirmed case was reported on March 1, 2020.

COVID-19 pandemic in Minnesota
(clockwise from top)
Map of the outbreak in Minnesota by confirmed new infections per 100,000 people (14 days preceding August 17)
  500+ confirmed new cases
  200–500 confirmed new cases
  100–200 confirmed new cases
  50–100 confirmed new cases
  20–50 confirmed new cases
  10–20 confirmed new cases
  0–10 confirmed new cases
  No confirmed new cases or no data
Map of the outbreak in Minnesota by total confirmed infections per 100,000 people (as of August 17)
  3,000+ confirmed infected
  1,000–3,000 confirmed infected
  300–1,000 confirmed infected
  100–300 confirmed infected
  30–100 confirmed infected
  0–30 confirmed infected
  No confirmed infected or no data
DiseaseCOVID-19
Virus strainSARS-CoV-2
LocationMinnesota
First outbreakGrand Princess
Index caseSt. Paul
Arrival dateMarch 6, 2020
Confirmed cases65,152 (August 16)
(7,238 health care workers)
Hospitalized cases290 (current)
5,851 (cumulative)
Critical cases152 (current)
Recovered58,196
Deaths
1,706
Government website
Minnesota Department of Health

Governor Tim Walz declared a state of emergency on March 13.[1]

Preparations

COVID-19 cases in Minnesota, United States  ()
     Deaths        Recoveries        Active cases

Mar Mar Apr Apr May May Jun Jun Jul Jul Aug Aug Last 15 days Last 15 days

Date
# of cases
# of deaths
2020-03-05 1(n.a.) 0(n.a.)
2020-03-06 1(=) 0(n.a.)
2020-03-07
2(+100%) 0(n.a.)
2020-03-08
2(=) 0(n.a.)
2020-03-09
5(+150%) 0(n.a.)
2020-03-10
11(+120%) 0(n.a.)
2020-03-11
21(+91%) 0(n.a.)
2020-03-12
43(+105%) 0(n.a.)
2020-03-13
62(+44%) 0(n.a.)
2020-03-14
90(+45%) 0(n.a.)
2020-03-15
128(+42%) 0(n.a.)
2020-03-16
179(+40%) 0(n.a.)
2020-03-17
246(+37%) 0(n.a.)
2020-03-18
269(+9.3%) 0(n.a.)
2020-03-19
287(+6.7%) 0(n.a.)
2020-03-20
303(+5.6%) 0(n.a.)
2020-03-21
327(+7.9%) 1(n.a.)
2020-03-22
349(+6.7%) 1(=)
2020-03-23
393(+13%) 1(=)
2020-03-24
444(+13%) 1(=)
2020-03-25
502(+13%) 1(=)
2020-03-26
565(+13%) 2(+100%)
2020-03-27
640(+13%) 4(+100%)
2020-03-28
687(+7.3%) 5(+25%)
2020-03-29
725(+5.5%) 9(+80%)
2020-03-30
823(+14%) 10(+11%)
2020-03-31
916(+11%) 12(+20%)
2020-04-01
973(+6.2%) 17(+42%)
2020-04-02
1,056(+8.5%) 18(+5.9%)
2020-04-03
1,119(+6%) 22(+22%)
2020-04-04
1,158(+3.5%) 24(+9.1%)
2020-04-05
1,219(+5.3%) 29(+21%)
2020-04-06
1,331(+9.2%) 30(+3.4%)
2020-04-07
1,434(+7.7%) 34(+13%)
2020-04-08
1,536(+7.1%) 39(+15%)
2020-04-09
1,639(+6.7%) 50(+28%)
2020-04-10
1,734(+5.8%) 57(+14%)
2020-04-11
1,808(+4.3%) 64(+12%)
2020-04-12
1,866(+3.2%) 70(+9.4%)
2020-04-13
2,014(+7.9%) 70(=)
2020-04-14
2,170(+7.7%) 79(+13%)
2020-04-15
2,326(+7.2%) 87(+10%)
2020-04-16
2,497(+7.4%) 94(+8%)
2020-04-17
2,679(+7.3%) 111(+18%)
2020-04-18
2,800(+4.5%) 121(+9%)
2020-04-19
2,926(+4.5%) 134(+11%)
2020-04-20
3,203(+9.5%) 143(+6.7%)
2020-04-21
3,465(+8.2%) 160(+12%)
2020-04-22
3,774(+8.9%) 179(+12%)
2020-04-23
4,299(+14%) 200(+12%)
2020-04-24
4,818(+12%) 221(+10%)
2020-04-25
5,157(+7%) 244(+10%)
2020-04-26
5,543(+7.5%) 272(+11%)
2020-04-27
6,223(+12%) 286(+5.1%)
2020-04-28
6,828(+9.7%) 301(+5.2%)
2020-04-29
7,510(+10%) 319(+6%)
2020-04-30
8,158(+8.6%) 343(+7.5%)
2020-05-01
8,780(+7.6%) 371(+8.2%)
2020-05-02
9,115(+3.8%) 395(+6.5%)
2020-05-03
9,455(+3.7%) 419(+6.1%)
2020-05-04
10,280(+8.7%) 428(+2.1%)
2020-05-05
10,929(+6.3%) 455(+6.3%)
2020-05-06
11,571(+5.9%) 485(+6.6%)
2020-05-07
12,390(+7.1%) 508(+4.7%)
2020-05-08
13,103(+5.8%) 534(+5.1%)
2020-05-09
13,385(+2.2%) 558(+4.5%)
2020-05-10
13,615(+1.7%) 578(+3.6%)
2020-05-11
14,439(+6.1%) 591(+2.2%)
2020-05-12
15,102(+4.6%) 614(+3.9%)
2020-05-13
15,835(+4.9%) 638(+3.9%)
2020-05-14
16,630(+5%) 663(+3.9%)
2020-05-15
17,426(+4.8%) 683(+3%)
2020-05-16
17,769(+2%) 700(+2.5%)
2020-05-17
18,080(+1.8%) 722(+3.1%)
2020-05-18
19,053(+5.4%) 731(+1.2%)
2020-05-19
19,910(+4.5%) 748(+2.3%)
2020-05-20
20,676(+3.8%) 777(+3.9%)
2020-05-21
21,657(+4.7%) 809(+4.1%)
2020-05-22
22,447(+3.6%) 842(+4.1%)
2020-05-23
22,847(+1.8%) 852(+1.2%)
2020-05-24
23,206(+1.6%) 869(+2%)
2020-05-25
23,617(+1.8%) 881(+1.4%)
2020-05-26
24,413(+3.4%) 899(+2%)
2020-05-27
25,095(+2.8%) 932(+3.7%)
2020-05-28
25,671(+2.3%) 967(+3.8%)
2020-05-29
26,128(+1.8%) 996(+3%)
2020-05-30
26,297(+0.65%) 1,026(+3%)
2020-05-31
26,440(+0.54%) 1,041(+1.5%)
2020-06-01
27,023(+2.2%) 1,050(+0.86%)
2020-06-02
27,509(+1.8%) 1,072(+2.1%)
2020-06-03
28,031(+1.9%) 1,086(+1.3%)
2020-06-04
28,436(+1.4%) 1,115(+2.7%)
2020-06-05
28,847(+1.4%) 1,148(+3%)
2020-06-06
29,011(+0.57%) 1,170(+1.9%)
2020-06-07
29,148(+0.47%) 1,186(+1.4%)
2020-06-08
29,630(+1.7%) 1,197(+0.93%)
2020-06-09
30,089(+1.5%) 1,217(+1.7%)
2020-06-10
30,496(+1.4%) 1,236(+1.6%)
2020-06-11
30,841(+1.1%) 1,249(+1.1%)
2020-06-12
31,152(+1%) 1,274(+2%)
2020-06-13
31,305(+0.49%) 1,283(+0.71%)
2020-06-14
31,455(+0.48%) 1,298(+1.2%)
2020-06-15
31,858(+1.3%) 1,304(+0.46%)
2020-06-16
32,271(+1.3%) 1,313(+0.69%)
2020-06-17
32,699(+1.3%) 1,325(+0.91%)
2020-06-18
33,088(+1.2%) 1,344(+1.4%)
2020-06-19
33,428(+1%) 1,361(+1.3%)
2020-06-20
33,648(+0.66%) 1,372(+0.81%)
2020-06-21
33,845(+0.59%) 1,380(+0.58%)
2020-06-22
34,331(+1.4%) 1,384(+0.29%)
2020-06-23
34,924(+1.7%) 1,393(+0.65%)
2020-06-24
35,438(+1.5%) 1,397(+0.29%)
2020-06-25
35,925(+1.4%) 1,406(+0.64%)
2020-06-26
36,454(+1.5%) 1,411(+0.36%)
2020-06-27
36,734(+0.77%) 1,417(+0.43%)
2020-06-28
36,978(+0.66%) 1,425(+0.56%)
2020-06-29
37,574(+1.6%) 1,435(+0.7%)
2020-06-30
38,166(+1.6%) 1,441(+0.42%)
2020-07-01
38,805(+1.7%) 1,445(+0.28%)
2020-07-02
39,377(+1.5%) 1,458(+0.9%)
2020-07-03
39,801(+1.1%) 1,466(+0.55%)
2020-07-04
39,904(+0.26%) 1,466(=)
2020-07-05
40,184(+0.7%) 1,471(+0.34%)
2020-07-06
40,944(+1.9%) 1,474(+0.2%)
2020-07-07
41,645(+1.7%) 1,477(+0.2%)
2020-07-08
42,430(+1.9%) 1,485(+0.54%)
2020-07-09
43,176(+1.8%) 1,490(+0.34%)
2020-07-10
43,930(+1.7%) 1,495(+0.34%)
2020-07-11
44,215(+0.65%) 1,499(+0.27%)
2020-07-12
44,567(+0.8%) 1,502(+0.2%)
2020-07-13
45,315(+1.7%) 1,504(+0.13%)
2020-07-14
46,128(+1.8%) 1,510(+0.4%)
2020-07-15
46,923(+1.7%) 1,518(+0.53%)
2020-07-16
47,728(+1.7%) 1,526(+0.53%)
2020-07-17
48,401(+1.4%) 1,533(+0.46%)
2020-07-18
48,703(+0.62%) 1,538(+0.33%)
2020-07-19
49,013(+0.64%) 1,541(+0.2%)
2020-07-20
49,840(+1.7%) 1,545(+0.26%)
2020-07-21
50,569(+1.5%) 1,548(+0.19%)
2020-07-22
51,310(+1.5%) 1,552(+0.26%)
2020-07-23
52,159(+1.7%) 1,561(+0.58%)
2020-07-24
52,953(+1.5%) 1,566(+0.32%)
2020-07-25
53,297(+0.65%) 1,571(+0.32%)
2020-07-26
53,617(+0.6%) 1,574(+0.19%)
2020-07-27
54,441(+1.5%) 1,576(+0.13%)
2020-07-28
55,239(+1.5%) 1,580(+0.25%)
2020-07-29
56,031(+1.4%) 1,589(+0.57%)
2020-07-30
56,821(+1.4%) 1,594(+0.31%)
2020-07-31
57,521(+1.2%) 1,600(+0.38%)
2020-08-01
57,969(+0.78%) 1,606(+0.38%)
2020-08-02
58,265(+0.51%) 1,614(+0.5%)
2020-08-03
59,070(+1.4%) 1,616(+0.12%)
2020-08-04
59,813(+1.3%) 1,620(+0.25%)
2020-08-05
60,480(+1.1%) 1,629(+0.56%)
2020-08-06
61,182(+1.2%) 1,636(+0.43%)
2020-08-07
61,770(+0.96%) 1,640(+0.24%)
2020-08-08
62,024(+0.41%) 1,648(+0.49%)
2020-08-09
62,179(+0.25%) 1,657(+0.55%)
2020-08-10
62,297(+0.19%) 1,660(+0.18%)
2020-08-11
62,299(=) 1,666(+0.36%)
2020-08-12
62,303(+0.01%) 1,678(+0.72%)
2020-08-13
62,993(+1.1%) 1,685(+0.42%)
2020-08-14
63,723(+1.2%) 1,693(+0.47%)
2020-08-15
64,413(+1.1%) 1,699(+0.35%)
2020-08-16
65,152(+1.1%) 1,706(+0.41%)
2020-08-17
65,716(+0.87%) 1,712(+0.35%)
2020-08-18
66,061(+0.52%) 1,721(+0.53%)
Cases: The number of cases confirmed in Minnesota.
Sources: MN Dept. of Health.
County [lower-alpha 1] Cases [lower-alpha 2][lower-alpha 3] Deaths [lower-alpha 3] Recov. [lower-alpha 3][lower-alpha 4][lower-alpha 5] Pop. Cases / 100k Ref.
87 / 87 64,413 1,699 57,457 5,303,925 1,214
Aitkin 42 1 16,202 259
Anoka 3,955 115 330,844 1195
Becker 164 1 32,504 504
Beltrami 269 0 44,442 605
Benton 331 3 38,451 860
Big Stone 25 0 5,269 474
Blue Earth 977 6 64,013 1,526
Brown 96 2 25,893 370
Carlton 151 0 35,386 426
Carver 928 3 91,042 1,019
Cass 79 3 28,567 276
Chippewa 121 1 12,441 972
Chisago 212 1 53,887 393
Clay 797 40 58,999 1,350
Clearwater 14 0 8,695 161
Cook 6 0 5,176 115
Cottonwood 180 0 11,687 1,540
Crow Wing 268 14 62,500 428
Dakota 4,740 106 398,552 1,189
Dodge 136 0 20,087 677
Douglas 147 1 36,009 408
Faribault 94 0 14,553 645
Fillmore 74 0 20,866 354
Freeborn 366 1 31,255 1,171
Goodhue 210 9 46,183 454
Grant 57 4 6,018 947
Hennepin 20,251 846 1,152,425 1,757
Houston 52 0 19,027 273
Hubbard 37 0 20,428 181
Isanti 146 0 37,816 386
Itasca 146 12 45,058 324
Jackson 82 0 10,266 798
Kanabec 40 3 16,239 246
Kandiyohi 728 1 42,239 1,723
Kittson 3 0 4,552 66
Koochiching 84 3 13,311 631
Lac qui Parle 9 0 7,259 123
Lake 24 0 10,866 220
Lake of the Woods 7 0 4,045 158
Le Sueur 246 1 27,703 888
Lincoln 61 0 5,896 1,034
Lyon 429 3 25,857 1,659
Mahnomen 28 1 5,413 517
Marshall 30 0 9,439 317
Martin 211 6 20,840 1,012
McLeod 249 0 36,651 679
Meeker 88 2 23,300 377
Mille Lacs 74 3 26,097 283
Morrison 97 1 33,198 292
Mower 1,125 2 39,163 2,872
Murray 127 1 8,725 1,455
Nicollet 371 13 32,727 1,133
Nobles 1,783 9 21,378 8,340
Norman 40 0 6,852 583
Olmsted 1,825 23 144,248 1,265
Otter Tail 211 4 57,303 366
Pennington 75 1 13,930 538
Pine 132 0 29,750 443
Pipestone 161 9 9,596 1,677
Polk 160 4 31,600 506
Pope 48 0 10,995 436
Ramsey 7,969 272 508,640 1,566
Red Lake 24 0 4,089 586
Redwood 37 0 16,059 230
Renville 68 5 15,730 432
Rice 1.055 8 64,142 1,644
Rock 90 0 9,687 929
Roseau 54 0 15,629 345
Scott 1,695 22 129,928 1,304
Sherburne 769 10 88,499 868
Sibley 88 2 15,226 577
St. Louis 650 20 200,226 324
Stearns 2,950 20 150,642 1,958
Steele 365 2 36,576 997
Stevens 22 0 9,726 226
Swift 57 1 9,783 582
Todd 432 2 24,895 1,735
Traverse 16 0 3,558 449
Wabasha 99 0 21,676 456
Wadena 29 0 13,843 209
Waseca 166 1 19,136 867
Washington 2,300 48 238,136 965
Watonwan 390 2 11,211 3,478
Wilkin 38 3 6,576 577
Winona 274 17 51,461 532
Wright 957 5 124,700 767
Yellow Medicine 54 0 10,438 517
Unknown/missing 146 0
Updated August 15, 2020
Data is publicly reported by Minnesota Department of Health[2]
  1. County where individuals with a positive case was diagnosed. Location of original infection may vary.
  2. Reported cases includes presumptive and confirmed case. Actual case numbers are probably higher.
  3. "–" denotes that no data is currently available for that county, not that the value is zero.
  4. MDH is not providing recovered case numbers for each county but is providing "no longer needing isolation" on a state level. Local health departments could be providing county information at their discretion.
  5. "No longer needing isolation" includes the cases that are deceased so the Recovered cases column subtracts the deceased from that total.

The Minnesota Department of Health began testing for the virus on January 20. During this time, no cases were positively tested in Minnesota. State health officials were monitoring for potential cases and making plans to contain future outbreaks.[3][4]

Mayo Clinic in Rochester began fast-tracking development of a test for the virus in mid-February.[3]

Timeline of outbreak

March

March 6

The first positive test was confirmed in the state. The patient had recently taken a Grand Princess cruise on a ship with a known case. The patient was an older adult from Ramsey County and had started having symptoms on February 25 and received medical care on March 5. They returned home to recover in isolation. Governor Tim Walz said "I'm confident that Minnesota is prepared for this."[5]

March 8

The second positive test in the state was confirmed in Carver County. A patient in their 50s began having symptoms on March 2 after likely being exposed while traveling in Europe in February. They sought medical care on March 7 and begin recovering at home in isolation.[6]

March 10

The third Minnesota patient was hospitalized in critical condition at an Anoka County hospital. The patient is in their 30s and had no obvious underlying conditions. They had developed symptoms on February 28 after being in contact with international travelers which likely exposed them to the virus. They were evaluated on March 3 and released at that time without being tested, which the Minnesota Department of Health had deemed "appropriate". They returned for medical services on March 9.[7] According to health officials there was no evidence the virus was being transmitted person to person in the state yet.[8]

A bill to set aside $20.8 million for Minnesota's coronavirus outbreak response is signed by Governor Walz. This money is in addition to the $4.6 million already in the account for public health response, totaling over $25 million.[9]

March 11

5 total cases in Minnesota have been confirmed. The fourth patient is in their 50s, in Olmsted County, and was diagnosed at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. The fifth patient is in Ramsey County and in their 30s.[10]

The University of Minnesota announces the suspension of classes across all five campuses. The University will extend its spring break to two weeks, ending March 18, at which time classes will resume through online instruction. Online instruction will continue until at least April 1 including field experience and clinical. During this time, residence halls, dining services, and other student services will continue normal operation.[11]

Mayo Clinic also began "drive-through testing" for the virus, though patients still needed to be approved to be tested by telephone screening.[12]

March 12

9 total cases are confirmed in Minnesota with the four new cases all considered to be travel-related. The new cases are reported in Hennepin, Dakota, and Stearns counties. All non-critical cases had begun recovering at home in isolation.[13] At this time, the Minnesota Department of Health did not recommend closing schools.[13]

March 13

14 total cases are confirmed in Minnesota; the new cases were reported to be in Hennepin, Ramsey, Anoka, Dakota, Carver, and Wright counties. As of this date, more than 550 people have been tested for the virus in the state.[14]

Governor Walz declares a peacetime state of emergency. He says, "We are going into a heightened state of readiness to protect Minnesotans."[1]

March 14

21 total cases confirmed in Minnesota. All 7 new cases were connected to contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19. All seven patients begin recovering at home in self-isolation. 868 total tests have been conducted.[15]

March 15

35 total cases confirmed in Minnesota. The new cases involved residents of Hennepin, Ramsey, Dakota, Olmsted, Waseca, and Washington counties. Additionally, the Minnesota Department of Health reports three of the new cases were exposed via community transmission.[15]

Governor Tim Walz announces the temporary closure of all Minnesota K-12 public schools from March 18 until March 27. He says, "My top priority as Governor is the safety of Minnesotans. As a former teacher, and father of two teenage kids, I'm especially focused on the safety of our children."[16][17] During the school shutdown, meals and mental health services will still be provided to students in need.[18] Under the governor's order, schools will remain open for elementary-aged children of health care workers and other emergency workers.[19] Teachers will be using this time to plan for a possibility of weeks of long-distance learning.[20]

March 16

The Minnesota Legislature begins scaling back operations as the State House and Senate will be meeting on an on-call basis. For future meetings, they will be meeting in locations that allow for 6 feet between representatives.[21]

Governor Tim Walz announces in Executive Order 20-04 that all non-essential businesses close until March 27, 2020, citing the first confirmed case of community spread, detected the previous day, as his cause for this action.[22]

March 17

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) today announces that due to a national shortage of COVID-19 laboratory testing materials, the state is forced to make adjustments to its testing criteria to focus on the highest priority specimens, including hospitalized patients.[23]

Delivering surgical masks in Minnesota

March 21

The state confirms its first death due to the virus; the patient was from Ramsey County and was in their 80's. The patient had contracted the virus from a confirmed case.[24] Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan also confirms her brother died due to the coronavirus in Nashville, TN.[25]

March 23

A marquee at Brave New Workshop in downtown Minneapolis referencing coronavirus

The governor makes several announcements regarding the state's response to the virus:

  • A small business loan program would be made available for possibly 5000 businesses during the week for amounts between $2,500 and $35,000
  • All elective veterinary surgeries would be halted
  • The budget for the response to the virus would be revised, asking for an additional $365 million

March 25

The state announces a total of 287 confirmed cases of the virus, 26 of which required hospitalization. It is reported that the actual number of cases was likely at least 10 times higher than this number.[26]

Governor Tim Walz signs Executive Order 20-20. This order states that all people currently residing in Minnesota are to shelter in place beginning March 27, 2020 at 11:59PM through April 10, 2020 at 5:00PM.[27] Walz also signs executive orders 20-18 and 20–19. Executive order 20-18 extended the previous statewide closure of all non-essential businesses, which was due to end March 27, 2020, to remain closed until May 1, 2020.[28] Executive Order 20-19 extended school closures and a "Distance Learning Period" was ordered to begin in Minnesota from March 30, 2020 until May 4, 2020.[29]

April

April 8

Governor Tim Walz extended the Stay at Home (Executive Order 20–33) order until May 3 at 11:59 PM. He cited his reason for doing so due to the new data and new discoveries on about COVID-19 since the original order was put in place. He is also allowing hardware and garden shops to open so long as they follow all the Minnesota Department of Health guidelines.[30]

April 17

Protestor at the Governor's Residence in St. Paul

During the early hours of the 17th, President Donald Trump tweeted "LIBERATE MINNESOTA" in reference to Governor Tim Walz's stay at home order.[31] Later that afternoon, several hundred citizens protested the order in front of the Governor's Residence in St. Paul. The protest was organized largely via Facebook by the Minnesota Gun Rights Caucus. Ben Dorr, a head member of the advocacy group, has repeatedly called for the state to reopen and has erroneously claimed that COVID-19 poses no greater threat to public health than the flu.[32] Dorr has two older brothers who are also gun-rights advocates. The three have used their collective social media presence to call for additional protests.

During his usual daily press conference, Governor Walz announced that it was now permitted for people to engage in various outdoor activities such as hiking, fishing, hunting, and motor-boating so long as they maintained a safe and reasonable distance from other people. As well as allowing people to engage in various outdoor activities, he allowed golf courses and bait shops to open.[33] Walz stated these plans were conceptualized before the President's tweet and the civilian protest.

April 30

Today Governor Tim Walz Extended the stay at home order for Minnesota to Sunday May 17 at 11:59 PM. He stated that staying home is the most powerful weapon to "defeat" the virus and that "we must run the full marathon and not stop at mile 20". Furthermore, he is requiring certain personal to wear face masks and strongly urging the general public to do the same.[34]

May

The Minnesota State Fair was cancelled in response to the pandemic.[35]

May 18

After being previously extended, the stay-at-home order expired and was replaced with a "stay safe Minnesota" order. This occurred at a time when new cases and hospitalizations were both increasing. Referring to the changes as a "measured Minnesota approach", Walz clarified that "we’re not flipping a switch and everything’s going back to normal at once... we’re slowly moving the dial and introducing more interaction between people over time.” He also announced that bars, restaurants, gyms, and salons would remain closed.[36]

May 21

The current single-day record of new cases was set, with 982 positive tests being reported.[37]

May 25

Following the killing of George Floyd on May 25, protesters gathered in large groups for vigils, marches and demonstrations, first in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, and later throughout the state. Most protesters wore masks[38] and people were generally able to limit exposure through social distancing, brief interactions, and by being outdoors.[38] While health experts warned that the protests could lead to an increased risk of a surge in COVID-19 cases,[39] testing indicated that few of the protesters contracted the disease.[38][40] The use of tear gas and pepper spray by the Minneapolis Police Department and the Minnesota National Guard was criticized for creating conditions where the virus could spread more easily by exacerbating respiratory infections, increasing exposure rates, and compromising immune systems.[41]

June

June 12

Gov. Walz extended the emergency order through July 13.[42]

July

Minnesota experienced a significant increase in positive cases beginning in late June and extending into July consistent with the greater nationwide trend. However, in mid-July, the number of new deaths and hospitalizations were still decreasing. It has been observed that this increase was largely driven by the 20-29 age group, and by communities in the Twin Cities suburbs.[43]

July 13

Gov. Walz extended the emergency order for 30 more days, through August 12.[44]

July 20

The state records its youngest fatality from the virus: A 9 month old baby from Clay County who died with no underlying health conditions.[45]

Responses

State government

"Corona Hours" sign at the Lake Area Quick Lube in White Bear Lake, Minnesota- Auto Repair and Maintenance shops are considered "essential businesses"

On March 10, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed a bill to dedicate $20.8 million to state coronavirus response.[9]

On March 13, Governor Walz declared a peacetime state of emergency.[1]

On March 15, Governor Walz authorized the temporary closing of all public K-12 schools from March 18 until at least March 27.[16][17] On March 25, this closure was extended to May 4.

On March 16, the Minnesota legislature began scaling back operations and meeting on an on-call basis.[21] Governor Walz also ordered the closure of public places, including all: restaurants, bars, coffee shops, gyms, theaters, breweries, ski resorts, and other public places until at least March 27. Bars and restaurants in the state were closed only to dine-in customers; the businesses were allowed to continue to serve customers by take-out or delivery orders.[46] On March 25, this order was extended until May 1.

On March 25, Governor Walz issued a stay-at-home order, claiming that at this point it was too late to "flatten the curve" with relation to new cases. The stay-at-home order required Minnesotans to restrict activity outside the home from 11:59 p.m. on March 27 until 5 p.m. on April 10.[47] While the order did continue the closure of bars, restaurants, movie theaters, hair salons, and other "non-essential" locations, the majority of workplaces still remained open for some employees in order to provide "essential services." Some of the places deemed "essential" included mechanics (bike and auto), chiropractors, grocery stores, any store that sold food or drink including bakeries, butcher shops, liquor stores, and even popcorn shops. Many restaurants continued to stay open for take-out and curbside pickup. Many retail stores also maintained a skeleton staff and offered curbside pickup, or only allowed a few people in the store at one time.[48][49]

On April 10, Governor Tim Walz extended his stay-at-home order (Executive Order 20–33) order until May 3 at 11:59 PM. He cited his reason for doing so due to the new data and new discoveries on about COVID-19 since the original order was put in place. He is also allowing hardware and garden shops to open so long as they follow all the Minnesota Department of Health guidelines.[30]

On April 17, Governor Walz announced that it was now permitted for people to engage in various outdoor activities such as hiking, fishing, hunting, and motor-boating so long as they maintained a safe and reasonable distance from other people. As well as allowing people to engage in various outdoor activities, he allowed golf courses and bait shops to open.[33] Walz clearly stated these plans were conceptualized before the President's tweet and the civilian protest.

On April 30, Governor Tim Walz Extended the stay at home order for Minnesota to Sunday May 17 at 11:59 PM. He stated that staying home is the most powerful weapon to "defeat" the virus and that "we must run the full marathon and not stop at mile 20". Furthermore, he is requiring certain personal to wear face masks and strongly urging the general public to do the same.[34]

On May 13, Governor Tim Walz is allowing his stay-at-home order for Minnesota to Expire on Sunday May 17 at 11:59 PM. He is doing this as he is allowing Minnesota to enter into a second phase of fighting the virus. He thanked Minnesotans for their sacrifices and efforts on curbing the virus. On May 18, most businesses are able to open but most adhere to the Minnesota's Department of health's Guidelines. However, pubs and restaurants must remain closed; a decision regarding reopening these bushiness will be made no later than 30 May. Minnesotans can gather in groups of up to 10 people with close family and friends.[50]

On May 21, Governor Tim Walz will allow all restaurants and pubs with outdoor seating to open on June 1 at 50% capacity and by reservation only. Hair salons will be allowed to open as well at 50% capacity and reservation only. All workers in these businesses are required to wear face masks at all times while on the clock, and customers are strongly encouraged to do the same.[51]

On June 5, Governor Tim Walz will allow all restaurants, pubs, gyms, and other indoor entertainmaint venues to open indoor dining at 25-50% capacity. Gatherings of people indoors is limited to 10 people, however 25 people can gather if the gathering takes place outdoors. He also thanked Minnesotans for their sacrifies and paitence, but warned that if cases start increasing, than he may have to close businessies [52]

Governor Walz announced a statewide mask mandate on July 22. Beginning July 25, the mandate requires that face masks be worn in stores, public buildings, and indoor spaces where people congregate.[53]

City governments

On March 14, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter declared a State of Local Emergency. The city will no longer be issuing any new permits for gatherings of 50 or more people. He also requested that Ramsey County police suspend all evictions. The St. Paul Public Library, St. Paul Schools, and all parks and recreation centers including the Como Zoo were also closed from March 16 through March 27.[20]

In March, the City of Red Wing, Minnesota suspended city facilities and shut down the city library due to concerns.[54] on March 31, Red Wing reported its first cases at a corrections facility.[55]

On July 29, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey issued an emergency order declaring that all Minneapolis indoor bars, which recently reopened, would once again close effective August 1.[56] Taprooms, distilleries, nightclubs and restaurants with a bar area will close again as well.[56]

Impact on sports

Most of the state's sports teams were affected. Several leagues began postponing or suspending their seasons starting March 12. Major League Baseball cancelled the remainder of spring training on that date, and on March 16, they announced that the season will be postponed indefinitely, after the recommendations from the CDC to restrict events of more than 50 people for the next eight weeks, affecting the Minnesota Twins.[57] Also on March 12, the National Basketball Association announced the season would be suspended for 30 days, affecting the Minnesota Timberwolves.[58] In the National Hockey League, the season was suspended for an indefinite amount of time, affecting the Minnesota Wild.[59]

In college sports, the National Collegiate Athletic Association canceled all winter and spring tournaments, most notably the Division I men's and women's basketball tournaments, affecting colleges and universities statewide.[60] The 2020 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships were scheduled for March 19–21 at Minneapolis' U.S. Bank Stadium. By March 11, the NCAA had announced the championship would continue, but none of the anticipated 100,000 fans would be allowed to attend.[61] The following day the NCAA canceled all spring championships.

On March 16, the National Junior College Athletic Association also canceled the remainder of the winter seasons as well as the spring seasons.[62]

On March 21, the Brainerd Jaycees announced the cancelation of the Run for the Lakes Marathon and all other races taking place over the marathon weekend, which was scheduled for April 24–25. The COVID-19 pandemic ended the 11-year streak of consecutive marathon runnings.[63]

Grandma's Marathon was held annually for 43 years, making it one of the oldest continually-run marathons in the country. But on March 31, the staff announced that the June 16, 2020, race was canceled due to concerns of spreading SARS-CoV-2.[64]

On April 2, race officials decided to cancel the Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon for the first time since the race began in 2008. The race runs on the state trail from Holdingford, Minnesota, to St. Joseph, Minnesota.[65]

By April 6, nearly 1,000 people in the state had contracted COVID-19, and the Rochester, Minnesota-based Med City Marathon race organizers decided to postpone their race weekend from May 23–24 to September 4–5.[66][67]

Statistics

See also

References

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  2. "Situation Update for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)". Minnesota Department of Health. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  3. "Mayo finds no coronavirus in first 90 tests". Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  4. "2 coronavirus cases suspected in Minnesota; officials prep for spread". MPR News. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
  5. Jacobsen, Jeremiah; Haavik, Emily; Griswold, David (March 6, 2020). "Health Department confirms first 'presumptive' coronavirus case in Minnesota". KARE 11. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
  6. "Health officials confirm second presumptive case of coronavirus in Minnesota". kare11.com. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
  7. "MDH: Anoka County coronavirus patient is in critical condition". kare11.com. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
  8. "Minnesota confirms third coronavirus case; patient is hospitalized in critical condition". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on March 11, 2020. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  9. "Gov. Walz signs $21 million coronavirus funding bill". kare11.com. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
  10. "Minnesota's 4th, 5th COVID-19 cases surface in Olmsted, Ramsey counties". MPR News. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
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  12. "Mayo Clinic starts drive-thru testing for COVID-19". Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  13. "MN health: 9 COVID-19 cases now; no plans to close schools". MPR News. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
  14. "Coronavirus In Minnesota: Number Of Positive COVID-19 Cases Climbs To 14". March 13, 2020. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
  15. "Number of COVID-19 cases in Minnesota grows to 21". MPR News. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
  16. "Minnesota schools to close for coronavirus". kare11.com. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
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  20. "Walz announces temporary closure of Minnesota K-12 public schools". Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  21. "Coronavirus In Minnesota: Legislature Scales Back Amid Spread Of COVID-19". March 16, 2020. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  22. "Emergency Executive Order 20-04" (PDF).
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  31. https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1251168994066944003
  32. "Behind rallies to reopen economy, a Minnesota activist and his family". MPR News. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  33. https://mn.gov/governor/assets/EO%2020-38%20Final_tcm1055-428887.pdf
  34. https://mn.gov/governor/assets/EO%2020-48%20Final_tcm1055-430499.pdf
  35. "2020 Minnesota State Fair canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic". SFChronicle.com. May 22, 2020. Archived from the original on June 4, 2020. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
  36. https://www.minnpost.com/state-government/2020/05/walz-to-let-minnesotas-stay-at-home-order-expire-extends-state-of-emergency-another-30-days/
  37. https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/situation.html#cases1
  38. Deliso, Meredith; Hoyos, Joshua (June 22, 2020). "Minnesota sees no rise in COVID-19 cases tied to protests: Health official". ABC News.
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  40. Magan, Christopher (June 12, 2020). "Early test results show few protesters caught COVID-19". Pioneer Press.
  41. Stone, Will (June 5, 2020). "Tear-Gassing Protesters During An Infectious Outbreak Called 'A Recipe For Disaster'". NPR.
  42. https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2020/06/12/coronavirus-covid-19-this-pandemic-is-not-over-gov-walz-extends-peacetime-emergency/
  43. https://www.mprnews.org/story/2020/07/10/latest-on-covid19-in-mn
  44. https://www.kare11.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/gov-walz-extends-minnesotas-peacetime-emergency-for-covid-19/89-b26644d0-672f-4f0c-a8b9-88c8c382b67f
  45. Nelson, Joe (July 20, 2020). "Child COVID-19 victim was 9 months old, had no underlying conditions". bringmethenews.com.
  46. MPR Staff. "Walz temporarily closes bars, restaurants and gyms to curb COVID-19 spread". Minnesota Public Radio. Archived from the original on March 17, 2020. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
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  49. Orenstein, Walker (March 25, 2020). "Who and what is and isn't covered by Minnesota's new 'Stay-at-Home' order". Minneapolis, Minnesota: Minnpost.com. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  50. https://mn.gov/governor/assets/EO%2020-56%20Final_tcm1055-431921.pdf
  51. https://mn.gov/covid19/for-minnesotans/stay-safe-mn/stay-safe-plan.jsp
  52. https://mn.gov/governor/news/#/detail/appId/1/id/434917
  53. Van Oot, Torey; Olson, Jeremy (July 22, 2020). "Walz mandates face masks indoors across Minnesota". Star Tribune.
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  55. "First COVID-19 cases reported Minnesota correctional facilities, including Red Wing".
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  57. Feinsand, Mark (March 16, 2020). "Opening of regular season to be pushed back". MLB.com. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
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  59. NHL statement on coronavirus NHL, March 12, 2020
  60. NCAA cancels remaining winter and spring championships NCAA, March 12, 2020
  61. Shipley, John (March 11, 2020). "NCAA decision means empty U.S. Bank Stadium for wrestling championship". St. Paul, Minnesota: St. Paul Pioneer Press. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
  62. NJCAA cancels spring sports, basketball nationals amid coronavirus outbreak MLive.com, March 16, 2020
  63. Bieser, Toni. "Brainerd Jaycees Run the Lakes Press Release" (PDF). Facebook.com. Brainerd Jaycees. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
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  65. Mozey, Brian (April 2, 2020). "Lake Wobegon Trail Marathon cancelled due to COVID-19; replaced by virtual race". St. Cloud, Minnesota: St. Cloud Times. USA Today. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  66. Jahns, Isaac (April 6, 2020). "Med City Marathon moved to September". MedCity Beat. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  67. Bongers, Mark (April 6, 2020). "2020 Final Stretch Events – Med City Marathon presented by Active PT" (PDF). Medcitymarathon.com. Rochester, Minnesota. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
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