Wednesday's coronavirus statistics from the Minnesota Department of Health show another significant rise in confirmed COVID-19 cases, though the increase was expected as testing has ramped up in the past week. 

There were 463 laboratory-confirmed positive tests in the latest reporting period, which is by far the most in a single day so far. The totals are from all patient samples tested in a 24-hour period ending at 4 p.m. Tuesday. That brings the total since the outbreak began to 4,644. 

There were also 18 more deaths, bringing the total in Minnesota to 319. 

• Confirmed cases: 4,644 (up from 4,181)
• Deaths: 319 (up from 301)
• Total hospitalized: 950 (up from 912)
• Still hospitalized: 320 (up from 314)
• Patients in intensive care: 119 (down from 120).
• Patient recoveries: 2,043 (up from 1,912).

Hennepin County has had 209 deaths from 1,633 confirmed cases to lead the state, but the second-leading county for positive tests is Nobles County, which has seen its case total skyrocket to 615 from an outbreak at a now-closed JBS pork plant in Worthington.

Sign up for our BREAKING NEWS newsletters

There were 2,915 tests conducted in the 24 hours that ended 4 p.m. Tuesday, which comes amid a ramp-up of the state's testing capability. It's the seventh straight day the state has conducted at least 2,200 tests.

A collaboration between Mayo Clinic and the University of Minnesota is expected to have the state testing 20,000 patients per day within 2-3 weeks. Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm said last week not to be surprised if the number of confirmed cases in a single day reaches 1,000 as testing advances. 

Because of widespread community transmission, there are many more assumed cases of COVID-19 – possibly 100 times the number of confirmed cases – that thus far have not been formally diagnosed because of testing limitations.

The age range for confirmed cases has been as young as 4 weeks old to 109 years old, with a median age of 50, while the average age of persons who have died from the disease is 83. The youngest person to die from the disease in Minnesota was 30 years old.

If you have symptoms of COVID-19, you can find guidance on what to do and where to get tested here.