Minneapolis Review

Amid ongoing preparations and precautions ahead of potential coronavirus problems, Minnesota health officials have requested $25 million and two University of Minnesota students self-quarantined after contact with an infected individual.

The two UM students arrived at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and self-quarantined recently due to contact with a third traveler who had been diagnosed with COVID-19.

The UM students were isolated after being evaluated on their plan by officials from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. 

The infected individual who they had contact with was prevented from boarding the plane in Europe, said Richard Danila, assistant state epidemiologist for the Minnesota Department of Health. Unlike the third individual, the two students did not show any symptoms.

He said other passengers from the plane will be notified if either student is diagnosed with COVID-19.

In a budget request, State Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm said the state needs funding to track the circulation of the virus and educate people on how to minimize risk of exposure. Malcolm also anticipated the need to test an increasing number of people with symptoms of the novel coronavirus to determine if the virus has caused their illness.

“What has dramatically happened in the last number of days is we are seeing community spread in an increasing number of states, which obviously gives us a great deal of concern,” Malcolm told the Star Tribune. 

Minnesota state officials have yet to determine how much of the approximately $8 billion in federal emergency funding will come to the state.

With the availability now of capacity at the state level to test for cases of COVID-19, Minnesota health officials expect to see an increase in known cases.