21 COVID-19 deaths; Nobles Co records 100+ new cases

(St. Paul, MN) – There were 21 new COVID-19 deaths since the previous day, the Minnesota Department of Health reported Friday.

The latest deaths bring the state’s coronavirus death toll to 221.  The first death reported in Minnesota was on March 21.

There have been 53,787 Minnesotans tested for the virus so far, and testing is expected to ramp up. Between April 21 and 22, over 4,400 tests were completed, finding 3,185 positive cases of COVID-19.  Just over half of those patients are recovered, and no longer need isolation.

In Nobles County, where a meat processing plant has become a hotspot for the virus, MDH reports 132 new positive cases of coronavirus.  There has been one death in the county so far.

The first death in Fillmore County is reportedly a county resident who was connected to a congregate care facility outside of Fillmore County.

In Rice County, two new positive cases bring the the county total to 9 cases.  There was one new positive coronavirus cases confirmed in each Blue Earth, Watonwan, and Steele counties.

Yesterday, Governor Tim Walz ordered Minnesota schools to stay closed through the end of the academic year due to the COVID-19 crisis. But also Tuesday, he announced a loosening of stay-at-home restrictions to allow up to 100,000 Minnesotans to return to work as soon as Monday.