MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota health officials are worried that re-emerging problems in the testing supply chain will hobble the state’s response to escalating cases in recent weeks.
The delays and reductions in shipments may be causing delays in turnaround for test results, which can affect the state’s response to the recent case growth and ability to ramp up testing.
White House COVID-19 task force leader Deborah Birx identified Minneapolis as one of 11 cities with surges in coronavirus cases that need aggressive action. The city’s positive infection rate is higher than the state overall, which city health officials attribute to young people frequenting bars, essential workers being infected while working and larger households living in smaller homes.
The Minnesota Department of Health reported 773 new cases Friday, continuing a trend in increasing cases in recent weeks. The state’s two-week rolling average number of daily new cases has grown by 203, an increase of almost 50 percent. The state ranks 28th in number of new cases per capita nationwide over the past two weeks.
Hospitalizations have been rising slowly, and state health officials reported five new deaths.
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar sent a federal COVID-19 response team to the Gopher State this week.
The team will provide written suggestions on how to improve Minnesota’s response to the pandemic, according to the HHS.
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