Person Affiliated with Minnesota State University Has COVID Omicron Variant

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A person affiliated with Minnesota State University, Mankato has the state’s second confirmed coronavirus case involving the omicron variant.

University President Edward Inch has sent a letter to faculty, staff and students telling them that the Minnesota Department of Health had notified school officials that the omicron variant was confirmed in a vaccinated person at the university and that individual had recently tested positive.

“The individual is doing fine and is following appropriate isolation protocols,” Inch wrote.

Inch encouraged everyone to get vaccinated and receive a booster. In addition, the university will make COVID-19 testing available on campus Tuesday.

Face masks were required at Saturday’s commencement ceremony Saturday.

Meanwhile, top executives from nine Minnesota health system are making an urgent appeal to the public with a full-page ad in newspapers across the state encouraging COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters, mask wearing and social distancing and coronavirus testing.

The chief executives say the state’s health care system is overwhelmed and cannot continue to carry the burden of what they see as “avoidable illness and death.”

The ad is signed by CEOs from North Memorial Health, Mayo Clinic, Fairview Health Services, CentraCare, Hennepin Healthcare, Children’s Minnesota, Allina Health, Essentia Health and HealthPartners.