According to a press release from the Minnesota Department of Health, the first case of COVID-19 has been confirmed by health officials on Friday afternoon.

According the the Minnesota Department of Health, the patient is an older resident of Ramsey County and recently traveled on a cruise ship with a known COVID-19 case. The patient first had symptoms starting on Feb. 25th but sought health care on Thursday. Samples were collected from said patient and sent for testing at the MDH Public Health Lab and came back positive. State officials are awaiting confirmation from the Centers from Disease Control, they consider the presumptive results to be worthy of taking action.

It is being reported that the patient is being isolated at home and is recovering. It was also noted that the Minnesota Department of Health is working to identify and contact everyone who the patient had come into contact with and will ask them to self-quarantine for 14 days.

“The State of Minnesota has been working around the clock to prepare for this and I am confident that our Department of Health is up to the challenge. Our Administration is collaborating across state agencies and remains in close contact with both federal and local partners as we monitor developments with this outbreak. Our state is fortunate to have a strong public health sector and world-class health care providers who are working hard to keep Minnesotans safe and healthy.”

–Minnesota Governor Tim Walz

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