(KNSI) – The Minnesota Department of Health released a backlog of COVID-19 case and death data on Tuesday, making it appear that 1,641 new cases and 140 deaths were reported within the last day. However, those numbers include 891 cases and 138 cases that previously went unreported by four different labs over the past five months, an audit by the MDH recently found.
“An audit by MDH epidemiologists of unverified possible COVID-19 case reports identified 891 cases and 138 deaths that were previously unreported to MDH by private labs in violation of a state rule,” MDH’s Situation Update for March 9th reads. “Deaths will appear as a one-day spike because deaths are represented by the date reported.”
“This figure represents 0.2 percent of our overall confirmed COVID-19 cases in Minnesota,” state infectious disease director Kris Ehresmann said.
Tuesday’s true COVID-19 data reflects 750 new cases and two deaths statewide.
By county, Tuesday’s new numbers combine the backlogged cases and the newly confirmed ones. Benton County reports 63 cases, Morrison County 30, Sherburne County 48, Stearns County 41 and Wright County 37.
The data backlog reveals an additional 18 COVID-19 deaths in the five-county area over the last year.
MDH Commissioner Jan Malcolm said Tuesday that the department regularly audits the more than 900 laboratories that process Minnesota’s COVID-19 tests. Some of the audits were sidelined during the state’s late fall surge in COVID-19 cases, Malcolm said, and in that time, four labs failed to confirm that the potential COVID-19 cases reported by long-term care facilities were, in fact, positive.
“We advise the facility on proper infection control protocols, isolation, quarantine and so forth,” Malcolm said. “So [it’s] important to know that no one’s care was affected by this failure of the labs to report, and the proper public health action was taken right away. But those cases, then, we did not consider confirmed until we received the corresponding laboratory report.”
Malcolm declined to name which facilities did not report the 891 total cases, as they are under investigation and could face financial penalties. However, Malcolm said the MDH does not believe the labs’ inaction was intentional.
This article was updated at 4:30 p.m. to reflect clarifying information and statements from MDH representatives.
FOLLOW US FOR INSTANT UPDATES!
FOLLOW US FOR INSTANT UPDATES!