Find Out If Should You Get Tested for Coronavirus In Minnesota

MINNESOTA — Minnesota state health officials say that people who do not have symptoms of the new coronavirus "generally should not be tested" for the virus. Because of national shortages of lab testing supplies, the state does not have an unlimited capacity for testing.

Officials have launched an online screening tool that can help people decide whether they should be tested for COVID-19 or not.

"Aggressive and expanded testing is an essential part of our overall strategy to mitigate this pandemic," Commissioner of Health Jan Malcom said in a statement Friday. "As we strive to reach our goal of testing up to 20,000 people per day, we must do everything we can to expand access points across the state. This work is literally saving lives."

In addition to the screening tool, the state also has a site where residents can find a COVID-19 testing facility in their area.

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On April 22, Walz, representatives of the state's health care delivery systems, the Mayo Clinic, and the University of Minnesota announced a "breakthrough" for rapid, widespread testing of COVID-19 in Minnesota to test all symptomatic people, isolate confirmed cases, and expand public health surveillance tools.

By building capacity to test as many as 20,000 Minnesotans per day, this increased testing and tracing will support the state's response to the pandemic and the safe reopening of society, officials said.

Coronavirus deaths rise in Minnesota

More than 100 Minnesotans have died from the new coronavirus in the past five days, according to numbers released by the state health department. Fourteen more deaths were recorded Monday, bringing Minnesota's overall toll to 286.

More than 3,800 people in the state have tested positive for the virus. Of those, over 1,800 are out of isolation.

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