Walz Extends Minnesota’s Coronavirus State of Emergency

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) _ Gov. Tim Walz has extended Minnesota's peacetime state of emergency by another 30 days so he can continue to use executive orders to direct the state's response to the coronavirus pandemic.

With the Legislature in session, the governor no longer needs to call special sessions to give lawmakers a chance to rescind those extensions.

Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm told the Executive Council Wednesday that Minnesota has now recorded 440,354 coronavirus cases, averaging about 10,000 new cases per week, with 5,774 deaths, averaging about 40 per day.

Those totals reflect 1,487 new cases and 50 new deaths.