Commissioner Jan Malcolm, Department of Health

• Commissioner Malcolm reported 1,721 new cases of COVID-19. This brings the state’s total number of COVID-19 cases to 129,863.
• Yesterday, 26,742 COVID-19 tests were processed.
• There were 13 new deaths due to COVID-19. Two deaths were from residents of congregate care settings. The total number of COVID-19 deaths in the state is now at 2,314.
• A total of 9,338 individuals have been hospitalized thus far due to COVID-19 with 2,510 of those requiring ICU care.
• Currently, there are 565 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 with 160 of those in the ICU.
• The seven-day COVID-19 test positivity average has grown to 6.4%.
• Commissioner Malcolm acknowledged that the upcoming weeks and months may prompt unprecedented additional pressures on mental health given the cold weather and changes in how family holiday gatherings may occur. She encouraged Minnesotans to access mental health resources through the Minnesota Department of Health website.

Dr. Ruth Lynfield, State Epidemiologist

• Dr. Lynfield provided an update on Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C), a condition where different body parts can become inflamed. Many children with MIS-C have had COVID-19 or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19.
• 28 children in Minnesota have been confirmed as having MIS-C.
• Two-thirds of the children were previously healthy. All required hospitalization. 57% required ICU care.
• All children had a fever and 86% has gastrointestinal symptoms. More than 70% had evidence of heart-involvement.
• All of these children are now home and the state has not had any deaths from MIS-C.
• The age range of children with MIS-C is from six months to 16-years-old. The average age is five-and-a-half-years-old.
• Nationally, there have been 1,097 reported cases of MIS-C and 20 deaths. The average age is eight-years-old.
• Black and Hispanic children have been disproportionately affected with 75% of cases being children in these groups.
• The CDC has reported this illness in adults as well with 27 cases and two deaths. These individuals all had positive COVID-19 tests. These symptoms came on two to five weeks after acute infection. The state wants people and clinicians to recognize this is extremely rare, but when symptoms occur, individuals should be evaluated because there is a high rate of critical illness in these patients.

Amos A. Briggs | Government Relations
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