Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Wednesday imposed four weeks worth of new COVID-19 restrictions as the spread spiked to an all-time high, shutting down bars, restaurants and fitness centers, while pausing social gatherings and organized amateur sports.

The announcement came on a day when Minnesota recorded a record 67 new COVID-19-related deaths, pushing the state’s toll to 3,010.

Beginning Friday at 11:59 p.m. through Friday, Dec. 18, in-person social gatherings with individuals outside one’s own household, including wedding receptions, are prohibited. Bars and restaurants are limited to takeout and delivery service only. Fitness clubs, entertainment and event venues must close. Adult and youth sports are paused, though college and pro sports are exempt.

But retail businesses, child care centers, salons, and places of worship can stay open with proper precautions under current restrictions. Schools will continue to operate with a mix of in-person, distance and hybrid learning.

Campus community members lined up Wednesday for St. Thomas’ free on-campus asymptomatic COVID-19 testing in the Anderson Athletic and Recreation Complex Field House.

This test is administered by filling a vial with saliva.

Staff from the Center for Well-Being, volunteers and student workers tested an average of 100 people per hour.

The university will also offer testing from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday in the same location.

The number of Americans seeking unemployment aid rose last week to 742,000, the first increase in five weeks and a sign that the resurgent viral outbreak is likely slowing the economy and forcing more companies to cut jobs.

The economy’s modest recovery is increasingly at risk, with newly confirmed daily infections in the United States having exploded 80% over the past two weeks to the highest levels on record. More states and cities are issuing mask mandates, limiting the size of gatherings, restricting restaurant dining, closing gyms or reducing the hours and capacity of bars, stores and other businesses. At least 15 states have tightened curbs on businesses to try to slow infections.

Evidence is emerging that consumers are losing confidence in the economic outlook and pulling back on shopping, eating out and other activities. Spending on 30 million credit and debit cards tracked by JPMorgan Chase fell 7.4% earlier this month compared with a year ago. That marked a sharp drop from two weeks earlier.

Annie Terry can be reached at terr2351@stthomas.edu.