Minnesota reports 10 new deaths

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota health officials report 10 new deaths from COVID-19 on Monday, raising the state’s death toll to 1,050.

The data comes as Gov. Tim Walz allowed restaurants and bars to start offering outdoor dining Monday. Salons and barber shops also can reopen starting Monday.

The number of positive tests for the coronavius grew Monday by 361, raising the state total to 25,208. The number of health care workers who have been infected rose to 2,725.

The latest state figures show 253 patients in Minnesota intensive care units Monday.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

Survey: Business leaders optimistic

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Business leaders are optimistic the economy will begin to recover later this year in a nine-state region of the Midwest and Plains despite the ongoing impact of the coronavirus outbreak, according to a monthly survey released Monday.

The overall index for the region improved in May to 43.5 from April’s 35.1 but it remained in negative territory. The survey results are compiled into a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score below 50 suggests decline. A score above 50 suggests growth.

The survey’s confidence index improved to suggest that businesses are optimistic the economy will begin to rebound within the next six months. That index improved to 56.6 in May from April’s weak 45.5 reading.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss said the survey shows that the coronavirus outbreak has had a greater impact on businesses tied directly to the consumer and a smaller impact on manufacturers.

“This is a consumer led recession with manufacturing lagging. Nonetheless, Creighton’s survey indicates that the regional manufacturing sector is trapped in a recession,” said Goss, who oversees the survey.

The monthly survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

The employment index for the region remained in negative territory at 40 in May, but it improved significantly from April’s record low of 26.2. Goss said that before the coronavirus outbreak took hold in mid March there were only 160,170 workers in the region receiving unemployment benefits. By early May, that number soared to more than 1.3 million workers receiving unemployment.