Feb. 27, 2020
We’re getting closer to the weekend thaw. Tomorrow will be cold, but a bit warmer than today, with highs around the upper 20s in the Twin Cities. Then, a big temp swing comes this weekend. We will see highs in the mid-40s two weekends in a row in parts of Minnesota, including the Twin Cities. Officials say no backlog for COVID-19 testing, but the first U.S. community-spread case’s diagnosis delayed for days. Health officials have identified what could be the first U.S. COVID-19 case in California with no history of travel to affected areas or exposure to someone who’s known to have the illness already. Officials say the CDC is streamlining the process it uses to test for the coronavirus across the country. The agency has so far completed more than 3,600 coronavirus tests. Got enough food, medicine, cleaning supplies at home? Things to consider when preparing for a potential outbreak. Minnesota health officials and the CDC are telling people that they should be prepared for the possibility of a COVID-19 outbreak in their community. But where should you start? Should I stock up on food and meds? Are special cleaning supplies needed? What about face masks? Here’s a guide to how to prepare your house for coronavirus. What questions do you have about the new coronavirus outbreak? Let us know here! 4 in 10 American adults are obese. And nearly 1 in 10 adults is severely obese -- 10 times more common than a century ago. That’s according to the findings from a government survey of 5,000 adults in the U.S. A person who is 5 foot 4 is considered obese at 174 pounds and 5 foot 9 at 203 pounds. Can you believe what you see online? Join us to fight fake news this election year. MPR News’ initiative Can You Believe It? has launched a set of toolkits that help you identify false news and fight bots, deepfakes and other attempts to spread disinformation. From how to vet a news source to how to spot “deepfake” videos, arm yourself to fight disinformation with the toolkits here. What are you seeing on your social media? Anything seems too fishy or fake to believe? Share it with us here! Were you following along with the Minnesota Made Matchup? We have a winner! And stay tuned, we’ll have more contests that let you express your Minnesota pride coming soon. — Jiwon Choi, MPR News
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