Good morning and welcome to Friday. Here's your forecast and what you need to know about COVID-19 in Minnesota as we head into the weekend.
Sunny and not too cold. Twin Cities highs in the upper 40s with 10 to 15 mph winds. Statewide highs in the mid-40s to lower 50s. At night, all Minnesota's lows are in the mid-30s. More on Updraft. | Forecast
So far, the biggest day for coronavirus testing was 1,883 tests completed in Minnesota. Like in every other state, health officials have been plagued by a shortage of supplies to test for COVID-19, rationing the tests to those in greatest need.
But there's some hope: The University of Minnesota says it could soon be able to test 10,000 people each day. The U has asked state lawmakers for $20 million to get going on its new methods for testing.
U researchers started from scratch on building two tests. With shortages of COVID-19 testing supplies plaguing health officials across the nation, they knew it was crucial to design tests that wouldn't rely on those materials that are limited.
One test tells if a person is sick with COVID-19. The other is an antibody test. In other words, an antibody test can tell whether someone has been sickened by or exposed to the coronavirus. More on its promise and potential pitfalls here.
Drastically increased testing is key to reopening the economy, and understanding the true scale of the coronavirus. Gov. Tim Walz is pushing for 5,000 daily tests by May 4, when the stay-home order expires. The governor says greater testing is required before officials can make plans for safely beginning to reopen the economy.
The latest coronavirus statistics from Thursday: 1,912 cases via 41,675 tests 94 deaths 475 cases requiring hospitalization 213 people remain in the hospital; 103 in ICUs 1,020 patients recovered 60 confirmed cases and no deaths this day last month
We've reached the point of the pandemic that "sick room" is a term worth knowing. It's part of a guide from NPR on how to keep yourself healthy when someone you live with has COVID-19. Minnesota and six other states have an agreement for a coordinated reopening of their economies. The move follows similar pacts made on the West Coast and in the Northeast. The Midwest version includes Minnesota, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin and Kentucky. “We look forward to working with experts and taking a fact-based, data-driven approach to reopening our economy in a way that protects families from the spread of COVID-19,” the governors said in a statement. “Our No. 1 priority when analyzing when (is) best to reopen our economy is the health and safety of our citizens.”
The state is continuing to offer food and financial assistance for those in need during the pandemic. More information on the latest from the Department of Public Safety is here.
— Cody Nelson, MPR News | 
