ST. PAUL -- For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began the state of Minnesota has conducted more than 5,000 tests in a single day. The Minnesota Department of Health says 5,223 tests were completed Tuesday, bringing the total to over 93,000.

Commissioner Jan Malcolm says a delay in test results the past few days is part of the reason why there has been a spike in test results Wednesday.

The state also saw a record number of deaths Tuesday with 30 people having died due to complications related to COVID-19, the death total is up to 485.  Twenty-four of the 30 new deaths were in senior housing facilities.

With more tests come more positive results with 728 new cases reported, bringing the total up to 8,579.

The number of people no longer in isolation went up by 391 to 5,005 (those numbers include both people who have recovered as well as people who have died).

There are 443 people in the hospital today that are battling the virus, and 180 of them are in the ICU.

Stearns remains the county with the third most cases behind Hennepin (2,764) and Nobles (1,082). Stearns County had 160 new cases bringing the total up to 975. The county now has three deaths.

Sherburne County has nine new cases with a total of 80 and one death. Wright County has nine new cases with a total of 69 and one death. Benton County has nine new cases with a total of 59 and one death.

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