Minnesota now has 54 cases of COVID-19 — up 19 from Sunday — including the first reported cases in Blue Earth and Sherburne counties. Officials said yesterday there are now cases of transmission within Minnesota communities, beyond infections in those who traveled overseas. But Senate Democratic Minority Leader Susan Kent says she supports the governor’s decision to wait until Wednesday to close K-12 schools. Kent says it “lets students be safe. It lets families be safe. It also makes sure that we are putting steps in place to have a plan for the long term. What we know from other states, when they have basically just instantly closed schools, is they’re left with a little bit of chaos.”
Legislative leaders hope to have votes later today in the Minnesota House and Senate on an emergency state aid package for hospitals to deal with COVID-19.