State lawmakers said Wednesday that an employee of the Minnesota House of Representatives has tested positive for COVID-19.
“We have been notified that someone who works for the House has been confirmed to have a presumptive case of COVID-19. It is possible that employees working at the State Office Building and the Capitol may have been exposed. While we understand your interest in knowing as many details as possible, we cannot share nor discuss individual personal health information,” House Speaker Melissa Hortman (DFL-Brooklyn Park) said in a letter sent to her House colleagues Wednesday.
MN House confirms #covid19 case pic.twitter.com/vV5f5TE0Pv
— Brian Bakst (@Stowydad) March 18, 2020
It’s unclear if the individual who tested positive is an elected representative or a staff person.
Gov. Tim Walz announced that he has canceled his State of the State address scheduled for March 23 and will instead deliver a televised address at a later date.
“Given recent developments in the state, I am rescinding my request to address a joint meeting of the 91st State Legislature on Monday, March 23, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. in the House Chamber at the Capitol,” the governor said in a letter to Hortman.
We are disappointed that circumstances prevent the Governor from delivering his State of the State in the House Chamber on 3/23. We look forward to hearing it at a different time or online. #mnleg #flattenthecurve https://t.co/yaz1lH1Gcg pic.twitter.com/QhKXEhGDEF
— Melissa Hortman (@melissahortman) March 18, 2020
The Minnesota Legislature announced earlier this week that it will meet on an as needed basis for the next 30 days and canceled all scheduled floor hearings and committee meetings.
As of Thursday evening, Minnesota had 89 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and tested 3,038 individuals for the disease. The virus has now spread to 19 Minnesota counties, including Anoka, Benton, Blue Earth, Carver, Clay, Dakota, Hennepin, Martin, Mower, Nicollet, Olmsted, Ramsey, Renville, Rice, Scott, Stearns, Waseca, Washington, and Wright.
Hennepin County has the most confirmed cases in the state with 33 positive cases, according to the Minnesota Department of Health.
Minnesota hasn’t experienced any coronavirus-related deaths, but health officials said four Minnesotans are currently hospitalized. Twenty-four Minnesotans who tested positive for the virus have recovered.
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Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of The Minnesota Sun and The Ohio Star. Follow Anthony on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Tim Walz” by Tim Walz.
