Posted at 11:24 a.m.
This article will be updated, if needed, as more information becomes available.
STATE UPDATES
The Minnesota Department of Health is reporting an additional 786 positive cases of COVID-19 in the state and 23 new deaths.
According to their daily update, 4,189 tests were completed since yesterday. There are a total of 9,365 cases in the state and a total of 508 deaths, with residents in long-term care or assisted living facilities accounting for 407.
An additional 59 health care workers were confirmed to have COVID-19 since yesterday, bringing the total to 1,205.
To date, 1,459 Minnesotans have been hospitalized for COVID-19 complications since the outbreak began. There are 435 in the hospital today, and of those, 182 are in the ICU.
To date, 97,421 have been tested, with 4,189 completed since yesterday. Over 5,300 patients have recovered to the point they no longer need to be isolated.
Today, Governor Tim Walz will provide an update on Minnesota’s response to COVID-19 and discuss the State’s plan to protect Minnesotans living in long-term care facilities from COVID-19. Members of the public can watch the update on the Governor’s YouTube Live page here.
LOCAL UPDATES
Mahnomen County reported their first death of COVID-19, according to MDH. They have a total cumulative case count of two.
Cumulatively, Beltrami County has had six cases of COVID-19, Cass County has seven, Clearwater has two cases and Itasca County is now showing 24 cases.
Pennington, Roseau and Koochiching County have cumulatively each had one case of COVID-19. Polk County has had 43, and Marshall County now stands at eight cases.
WHITE EARTH
White Earth Nation received $20.6 million of the $8 billion set aside for tribal governments from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
The CARES Act established the Coronavirus Relief Fund which is to be used to make payments for specified uses to tribal governments to cover costs that 1) are necessary expenditures incurred due to the public health emergency with respect to COVID-19; 2) were not accounted for in the budget most recently approved as of March 27 (the date the CARES Act was enacted); and 3) were incurred during the period that began March 1 and ends on December 30.
“We want to thank Minnesota Senator Tina Smith for all her hard work in securing these much-needed funds for the White Earth Nation,” said District III Representative Eugene “Umsy” Tibbetts. “We are still in the process of deciding how the money will used in the best interests of our members, communities and the Reservation Business Committee programs.” Senator Smith serves on the US Senate Committee of Indian Affairs.
“In light of the current COVID-19 situation, the funding provided to White Earth through the CARES Act is a tremendous tool enabling the Emergency Management Team to further strengthen preparedness efforts in the event of a greater statewide spread,” said Ed Snetsinger, Incident Commander of the White Earth Emergency Management Team. “This funding will ensure we’re firing on all cylinders in the prevention and protection of White Earth in the battle against COVID-19.”
The Department of Treasury published guidance on its interpretation of the limits for permissible use of the Fund payments. The U.S. Department of Treasury reported that it intended to immediately distribute $4.8 billion (60 percent of the $8 billion set aside) to tribes based on population data, with a minimum amount set at $100,000. The remaining $3.2 billion (40 percent of the $8 billion) is expected to be distributed to tribes based on the total number of persons employed by the Indian tribe and their tribally owned entities. It is possible that the White Earth Nation will receive additional money when that amount is calculated by the U.S. Department of Treasury.
