“When Minnesota faces a challenge, we rise up—together,” Governor Walz said. “I’m proud to partner with Minnesota’s innovative health care systems and leading research institutions to pioneer how states can begin to move forward amid COVID-19.”

The news release announces that in partnership with MDH, the Mayo Clinic and the U of M they will create a central lab to accommodate the expanded testing.

The expanded testing will include intensive testing of: vulnerable populations, including Minnesotans living in congregate settings and those experiencing homelessness; staff that serve vulnerable populations and health care workers; communities of color and American Indian populations; and workforce for critical infrastructure.

--

(ABC 6 News) - Gov. Tim Walz along with the Minnesota state's health care delivery systems, Mayo Clinic, and the University of Minnesota announced a breakthrough for rapid, widespread testing of COVID-19 in the state on Wednesday.

The partnership launched a statewide testing strategy 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 help improve control of this pandemic and support the safe re-opening of society.

The partnership announced today will help to assure that every person in the State with symptoms of COVID-19 gets tested. Funded in part by $36 million from the COVID-19 Minnesota Fund, the partnership will establish capacity to deliver 20,000 molecular and 15,000 serology tests per day.

“When Minnesota faces a challenge, we rise up—together,” Governor Walz said. “I’m proud to partner with Minnesota’s innovative health care systems and leading research institutions to pioneer how states can begin to move forward amid COVID-19.”

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Gov. Tim Walz is preparing to make a major announcement about coronavirus testing in Minnesota.

The governor will be joined at a 2 p.m. news conference by leaders from the Mayo Clinic, the University of Minnesota, and other health system leaders. Walz had previously set a goal of increasing the state’s testing capacity to 5,000 per say or 40,000 per week, calling it a necessary condition for reopening the state’s economy.

His stay-at-home order currently runs through May 4. Earlier Wednesday, the state reported that COVID-19 has killed 19 more Minnesotans, marking the largest one-day death toll since the pandemic reached Minnesota.

(Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.)