Via The Washington Post: Minneapolis unrest expected to lead to more COVID-19 cases.
Demonstrations in Minneapolis and St. Paul, sparked over the death of George Floyd, could lead to a rise in coronavirus cases, a health official said.
This week, peaceful and violent protests have occurred in the Twin Cities after Floyd, an unarmed black man, died after a white police officer knelt on his neck. While images of masked protesters have emerged, Minnesota Department of Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm projected the large gatherings will create a surge of positive coronavirus test results.
“It’s certainly going to be a factor in what happens in our outbreak and our case counts,” Malcolm said, according to MPR News.
On Thursday, the health department reported 493 new cases, with nearly 30 percent of those positive tests coming from the county of the Twin Cities. The state also reported 35 additional deaths for a total of 967, the vast majority belonging to residents in long-term care or assisted-living facilities.
Though Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D) has declared a state of emergency, more protests are expected.
“I’m understanding the forecast is for very large protests this weekend, with a lot of people coming in from across the state and around the country and gathering in large groups,” Malcolm said. “That’s almost sure to have an impact on furthering spread.”
