ADShe said she saw coronavirus cases begin surging in late September and October, and on some days ill patients filled the hospital, a low-slung brick ­critical-access facility with 14 beds. In Minnesota, state officials presented grim new infection numbers Thursday — with 7,228 people testing positive — and warned that the state is on pace to see at least 100,000 new cases by Thanksgiving. ADADIn Itasca County, a rural area of 45,000 residents northwest of Duluth, county health officials said there were 200 coronavirus cases and 13 deaths through September. An underlying concern for state officials is the pressure on Minnesota hospitals. Noem’s spokesman, Ian Fury, said that Noem had no intention of changing her approach, noting that although the hospitalization rate has increased, 34 percent of the state’s hospital and ICU beds remain open.

Source: Washington Post November 13, 2020 00:51 UTC