ST PAUL, Minn. — Monday, March 29
- COVID cases up to 1,550, 5 new deaths reported
- Gov. Walz: Every Minnesotan over age 16 is eligible for a vaccine starting March 30
- MDH: 28.9% of Minnesota's population at least partially vaccinated
- President Biden sets new goal of 200 million doses in his first 100 days
New cases of COVID-19 climbed above the 1,500 mark again, according to data released Monday by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). It continues a trend of resurgent case numbers that state health officials are watching with concern.
MDH says 1,550 new infections were reported in the past day, based on results from 22,622 tests (20,669 PCR, 1,953 antigen) performed in private and state labs. Health officials consider a positive PCR test a confirmed COVID case, while a positive antigen test is listed as probable.
Minnesota has now recorded a total of 516,608 coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic. Of those cases, 29,135 are linked to antigen tests.
Five more people have died of the virus, bringing total fatalities to 6,835. MDH says 4,270 of those deaths, or 62%, involve long-term care or assisted living facilities.
As of Sunday, 343 people were being treated for COVID in Minnesota hospitals, 88 of them in ICU. While that number is up, there are more open beds in hospitals across the Twin Cities metro than in recent days with 151 beds available (4.1% vacancy rate). Total hospitalizations are now up to 27,085 since the virus arrived in the state.
Of those who have tested positive for COVID, 496,763 no longer require isolation.
The latest data from the state vaccine dashboard says 1,609,277 Minnesotans have received at least one dose as of Saturday, 28.9% of Minnesota's 5.6 million residents. MDH says 990,854 people have completed the two-shot series and are considered fully vaccinated. On Saturday, 17,818 doses of vaccine were administered, down from 54,839 Friday.
Of state residents ages 65 and older, 80.8% have received at least one shot.
Young adults between 20 and 24 make up the largest group of COVID cases in the state with 50,818 and four deaths, followed by those ages 25 to 29 with 45,981 cases and six deaths. The virus has been most deadly for Minnesotans between 85 and 89: Of that demographic 1,288 have died from COVID out of just 6,473 cases.
As Minnesota's most populous county, Hennepin County has reported the most COVID activity with 107,329 cases and 1,646 deaths, followed by Ramsey County with 45,027 cases and 837 deaths, Dakota County with 39,068 cases and 409 deaths, and Anoka County with 35,304 cases and 406 deaths.
Cook County in northeastern Minnesota has recorded the least COVID activity with 137 cases and zero fatalities.
Sunday, March 28
The Minnesota Department of Health reported 1,227 new COVID-19 cases Sunday, after two consecutive days of new cases over 1,700.
MDH's COVID-19 case definition includes both antigen testing and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing. Positive PCR test results are considered confirmed cases, while positive antigen test results are considered probable cases.
Sunday's new case total includes 981 confirmed cases and 246 probable cases.
Meanwhile, the state reports that 1,590,826 people in Minnesota have gotten at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine -- about 28.6% of the state's population. Of that group, 976,061 are fully vaccinated.
According to MDH, about 80.7% of the state's 65 and older population is at least partially vaccinated.
The total number of Minnesotans who have tested positive for the virus since the pandemic began is now 515,058, with 29,038 of those as antigen test results.
MDH says five new deaths from the virus were reported. The total number of fatalities in Minnesota is 6,830.
To date, 27,067 Minnesotans have been hospitalized with the coronavirus since the pandemic started, with 5,568 of them needing care in the ICU.
MDH reports that 495,463 people once diagnosed with the virus have passed the point where they are required to isolate.