Public health leaders continue to urge Minnesotans to keep their guard up during proms, graduations and other spring events to protect against spreading the disease, noting that more contagious COVID-19 variants are driving new cases across the state. One of them, known as the U.K. variant, is the dominant strain in the state, making up 60 to 70 percent of new cases, officials said.

This is an MPR News morning update for Friday, April 30, 2021. Hosted by Cathy Wurzer.

Our theme music is by Gary Meister.