Minnesota officials on Wednesday reported 72 more deaths of people with the disease, tying a single-day record set last week. So far this month, 918 deaths have been reported — that’s more than 1 in 4 to date in the pandemic.
Three things to know:
Cases growth has leveled off from the past month's exponential growth, and hospital admissions look like they're following suit
COVID-19 continues to put Minnesota's hospital capacity under severe strain
With the state averaging a record 52 deaths a day over the past seven days and some 1,800 people still hospitalized with the disease, it could be difficult Thanksgiving in many households.
One hopeful sign Wednesday: the rate of positive tests — a key measure officials follow to judge the spread of the disease — is trending downward, although it remains far higher than the 5 percent officials find concerning.
Walz called on Minnesotans to refrain from gathering over the Thanksgiving holiday to prevent further spread of COVID-19. Minnesota has been seeing record numbers of positive cases and deaths in recent weeks. Minnesotans should take a pause over the holiday and consider the health of their family and neighbors, the governor said.
"The sacrifices you're making are making sure that those overwhelmed emergency rooms and those nurses and doctors are able to protect their family, able to keep working themselves," Walz said.
