Wright County sets new record in COVID count
Last week, following the advice of public health experts, senior advocates, labor leaders, doctors, hospitals, and long-term care providers, Governor Tim Walz extended the COVID-19 peacetime emergency in Minnesota. By signing Executive Order 20-92, Walz extended the peacetime emergency that gives the state flexibility in responding to rapidly evolving issues stemming from COVID-19.
In Wright County it was a grim week in its battle against COVID-19 with three one-week highs reported by Wright County Public Health. The county set a single-week high in the number of new confirmed cases with 228, which is 43 more than the previous high of 185 reported the week before. The 15 cases that required hospitalization also represents a single-week high, bringing the county’s total to 129 hospitalizations. Worse yet, three deaths were attributed to COVID, bringing the county’s death toll to 12.
Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan also announced the expansion of the state’s saliva testing program, including the opening of new saliva testing sites and a pilot of the mail order program. Semi-permanent saliva testing sites will open in Moorhead on Oct. 17 and Brooklyn Park on Oct. 20. These sites will offer free saliva tests to any Minnesotan who believes they need to be tested, as part of the state’s strategy to provide easy access to quick, reliable testing.
Additionally, Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan announced a $53.3 million investment available now to support child care providers and protect Minnesota families’ access to child care during the COVID-19 pandemic. This critical investment will be funded with federal dollars through the Coronavirus Relief Fund, which was authorized by the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. In total during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Administration has invested approximately $188 million to help support child-care needs for families.
Thursday, after his appointment as the new chair of the Midwestern Governors Association (MGA), Governor Tim Walz announced his MGA Chair’s Agenda, “Empowering Midwestern Communities,” which focuses on bringing Midwestern policy leaders together to create economic opportunities in the energy sector.
Governor Walz joined Governors Gretchen Whitmer (MI) and Tony Evers (WI) in sending a letter to President Donald Trump, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, and House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy urging them to pass a bipartisan relief bill that provides much-needed support to states as the U.S. continues to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan Thursday applauded the bipartisan passage of the bonding bill.
“This bonding bill is a smart investment that will create thousands of good-paying jobs, deliver improvements to local projects throughout Minnesota, and make our state a better place to live,” said Governor Walz. “It’s been a long journey. By finally coming together and working across the aisle, Minnesota proved once again that if Washington won’t lead—we will.