Newsroom for the Public Health Laboratory
A Division of the Minnesota Department of Health
The 2026 Public Health Laboratory Newsroom tells stories about the many ways the Minnesota Public Health Laboratory works every day to help Minnesotans thrive. Here are the most recent stories:
- Infant Botulism Outbreak Testing Handled by Minn. Public Health Laboratory
- How Health Conditions Are Added to Minnesota Newborn Screening
- Minn. Newborn Screening Information Translated into 12 Languages
- INSPIRE Programs Bring Public Health Activities to Students
2025 Newsroom
In 2025 we converted our annual report to a newsroom that publishes stories online as they arise. Here are some of the most popular stories:
- Baby’s Deadly Disorder Uncovered in Part Due to Minnesota Newborn Screening
- Monitoring the Flu Season in the Minn. Public Health Lab
- In Poisoning Case, Police Assisted by Minn. Public Health Lab
- Mysterious River Oil Sheen Investigated by Public Health Laboratory
- Testing Reveals Which Drugs Are Involved in Overdoses
- Saunas' Impact on Firefighters’ Cancer Risks Studied by Minn. Public Health Lab
- In Minnesota, Only the Public Health Laboratory Tests for Rabies
2024 Annual Report
The Public Health Laboratory's fiscal year 2024 Annual Report contains more than a dozen stories of our major achievements. Highlights include:
- The new Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Collaborative.
- The Environmental Lab expanding PFAS monitoring to fish and non-potable water.
- The Infectious Disease Lab tackling outbreaks of pertussis, Candida auris, and Legionnaires’ disease.
- The Newborn Screening Program beginning screening for Krabbe disease.
See our 2024 Annual Report pages for these and other stories demonstrating how the Public Health Laboratory is helping Minnesotans.
Previous Annual Reports
Our 2023 Annual Report pages cover a range of stories, including the starting of newborn screening for cCMV, bringing on testing for PFAS, and testing wastewater for indications of the spread of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. A PDF of the 2023 Annual Report is also available.
If you have questions or comments, please contact our Public Health Laboratory at health.mdhlab@state.mn.us or call 651-201-5200.