MN Health Commissioner Says COVID-19 Doubling Rate Has Slowed
ST. PAUL -- There's some encouraging news out of the latest COVID-19 update by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and his cabinet Tuesday.
Minnesota Department of Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm says it appears we are making a difference in the fight of the COVID-19 spread through our social distancing.
Malcolm says one of the key metrics they are watching is the rate at which the cases of COVID-19 double in the state. And, she says it appears the Stay at Home Order is having a positive effect...
We're happy to note that Minnesota, so far, is seeing a slower rate of doubling than we might have anticipated at this point. In the first few weeks of March, we were seeing the Minnesota case-total double every one to two days. However, since the week of March 18th, about the same time we started implementing the broader community-wide mitigation steps, we saw that doubling rate slow to once every eight days.
Malcolm says it's worth noting that our testing capabilities likely are not keeping up with actual cases of the virus, but she says it's a good sign that Minnesota is on the right track to prevent hospitals from getting overwhelmed.
Governor Walz will announce details on an extension of the Stay at Home Order Wednesday but added he wants to find ways to get people back to work where possible.