No confirmed cases of new coronavirus in Minnesota, 36 negative tests so far

Update: Officials have a first presumptive case of coronavirus in Minnesota.

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There remain no confirmed cases of the new coronavirus in Minnesota. 

As of Friday, the Minnesota Department of Health has tested 36 patients for the COVID-19 virus, but all the tests have come back negative. The state currently has no pending test results for possible cases of COVID-19. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, patients with confirmed COVID-19 have had mild to severe respiratory symptoms including fever, cough and shortness of breath. 

Having those symptoms, however, does not mean you need to be tested for the coronavirus. There are additional criteria that will help your health care provider determine if you need to be testing, including recent travel from an affected area or closed contact with a person who has a confirmed case of COVID-19. 

In Minnesota, hospitals, clinics and other healthcare providers are supposed to contact MDH regarding patients that may have COVID-19. If the patients meet the criteria for testing, they collect laboratory sample and send them to the MDH Public Health Laboratory for testing. 

While awaiting test results, the patient is isolated to prevent others from becoming sick. 

Related

4 reasons why you should care about the coronavirus outbreak

Officials with the Minnesota Department of Health say there are some very key reasons why Minnesotans should keep attention and be prepared.

NUMBER OF CORONAVIRUS CASES SURPASSES 100,000 

There are now more than 100,000 cases of the coronavirus worldwide. 
In the United States, there are currently 245 confirmed cases and 14 people have died—most in Washington State. Health officials say the majority of people who have died in the outbreak so far were older or had underlying health issues. 

WHAT YOU CAN DO

MDH is reminding Minnesotans to take the following steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory infections: 

  • Cover your coughs and sneezes with your sleeve or a tissue, not your hand
  • Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water
  • Stay home when sick
  • Stay informed by visiting the MDH and CDC websites often