First presumptive case of COVID-19 in Minnesota and Ramsey County
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has confirmed Minnesota’s first presumptive case of novel coronavirus, COVID-19.
The case, an older adult resident of Ramsey County, recently traveled on a cruise ship with a known COVID-19 case. The patient began to develop symptoms on Feb. 25 and sought health care Thursday. Samples were collected from the person and sent to the MDH Public Health Laboratory for testing today, using the new CDC test kit that MDH began using Monday, March 2. The test was found positive earlier today. MDH is awaiting confirmatory testing from CDC, but health officials consider the presumptive results actionable.
The patient is currently in isolation at home and is recovering. MDH is working in partnership with Saint Paul-Ramsey County Public Health to provide essential services and support to the patient. MDH is working to identify and contact all those who may have come in contact with the infected person. These people will be asked to quarantine themselves for 14 days from their exposure and will be monitored for fever and respiratory symptoms.
- Learn more about how you can prevent and prepare for COVID-19.
- Read more about the first presumptive case