ST PAUL, Minn. — Sunday, April 25
- New cases dip back below 2,000 threshold
- MDH: 40.5% of state's eligible population fully vaccinated against COVID
- Drop in COVID vaccine demand has some turning back doses
- Schools see "worrisome" surge in cases as MDH urges weekly testing of student athletes
- Masks optional during outdoor games for spring sports
- Minnesota unveils new Mobile Vaccination Units
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) reported 1,569 new COVID-19 cases Sunday, along with 7 additional deaths.
The total number of Minnesotans who have tested positive for the virus since the pandemic began is now 568,243, with 37,541 of those as antigen test results.
MDH says 7 new deaths from the virus were reported. The total number of fatalities in Minnesota is 7,079.
Meanwhile, MDH reported that 2,441,621 people in the state have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. That's about 55.4% of the state's eligible population. Of that group, 1,788,107 are now fully vaccinated against the virus -- 40.5% of the state's eligible population.
To date, 29,718 Minnesotans have been hospitalized with the coronavirus since the pandemic started, with 6,049 of them needing care in the ICU.
MDH reports that 544,781 people once diagnosed with the virus have recovered to the point where they no longer require isolation.
Of those who have tested positive, people between the ages of 20-24 account for the most cases with 55,337 cases and four deaths, and ages 25-29 follow with 50,516 cases and six deaths. Those between 85 and 89 years old account for the highest number of fatalities in one age group with 1,311 out of 6,624 diagnosed cases.
Saturday, April 24
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) reported 2,104 new COVID-19 cases Saturday, along with 8 additional deaths.
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.
Saturday's new case total includes 1,805 confirmed cases and 299 probable cases.
The total number of Minnesotans who have tested positive for the virus since the pandemic began is now 566,687, with 37,334 of those as antigen test results.
MDH says 8 new deaths from the virus were reported. The total number of fatalities in Minnesota is 7,072.
In terms of vaccinations, MDH said 2,407,294 people in the state have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. That's about 54.6% of Minnesota's eligible population. Of that group, 1,745,337 are fully vaccinated -- about 39.6% of the state's eligible population. Those numbers were released Saturday and are accurate as of Thursday.
To date, 29,703 Minnesotans have been hospitalized with the coronavirus since the pandemic started, with 6,048 of them needing care in the ICU.
MDH reports that 542,520 people once diagnosed with the virus have passed the point where they are required to isolate.
Of those who have tested positive, people between the ages of 20-24 account for the most cases with 55,197 cases and four deaths, and ages 25-29 follow with 50,383 cases and six deaths. Those between 85 and 89 years old account for the highest number of fatalities in one age group with 1,311 out of 6,616 diagnosed cases.
Friday, April 23
New COVID-19 infections have again climbed above the 2,000 threshold, according to data released by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Friday.
The department recorded 2,167 more additional cases of the virus in the past day, which brings total infections in Minnesota to 564,584 since the start of the pandemic. The numbers come one day after Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm expressed concern about seeing increased spread among middle and high school students. MDH is urging student athletes to get tested once a week in an attempt to stop transmission to older, more vulnerable Minnesotans who may end up hospitalized.
Those hospitalization numbers continue to hover near the 700 mark with 689 people being treated for COVID in hospitals across the state as of Thursday, 202 of them in ICU. The last day that many people were being treated in intensive care was Dec. 29. MDH officials believe the increase in hospitalizations could be tied to the increasing presence of the B.1.1.7 variant, which studies have shown presents more severe disease and symptoms.
Total hospitalizations are now at 29,589 since the pandemic started. MDH says 539,741 people who were diagnosed with the virus have recovered to the point they no longer need to isolate.
An additional 10 people have died from COVID, bringing total deaths to 7,064. The virus has been most deadly among those between the ages of 85 and 89, with 1,310 deaths in just 6,613 diagnosed cases.
As of Wednesday MDH says nearly 54% of the state's eligible population (age 16 and up) have received at least one immunization, and 1,711,408 people have completed the COVID series and are considered completely vaccinated. That's 38.8% of those eligible.
So far in April 1,103,085 doses have been administered.
Thursday, April 22
11 a.m.
Top Minnesota health and education officials are urging more frequent COVID-19 testing among student athletes as the state grapples with a surge in the number of school-related cases.
"Just this week, we've seen the number of school-related COVID-19 cases in students exceed the high level set in November, during the big fall surge," MDH Commissioner Jan Malcolm said during a briefing with reporters Thursday. "That means we've got a lot of work to do to ensure community transmission goes back down."
Starting Monday, April 26, the State of Minnesota is increasing testing efforts in support of giving local students "the best chance to successfully conclude their school year with in-person learning," Malcolm said.
Malcolm emphasized the continuing need for every student in middle and high school to get tested for COVID-19 every two weeks, regardless of their participation in extra-curricular activities. She said MDH is now encouraging all student athletes and Minnesotans of all ages who play organized sports to get tested every week.
"Testing on a regular basis allows schools and teams to catch cases early, and to keep them from spreading undetected. It prevents an isolated problem from becoming a much bigger problem, that drags down a whole school, a team, or a season," she said.
The state will provide free COVID-19 saliva test kits for any middle and high school, as well as sports teams, through its partnership with Vault Health.
Education officials are encouraging schools to offer onsite testing.
"The ability to offer COVID-19 testing through our middle and high schools is one more tool to ensure our students can continue safely learning in-person," Minnesota Education Commissioner Dr. Heather Mueller said.
Commissioner Malcolm also announced a change in its face covering recommendations, and will now permit those who play outdoor sports to remove masks during games.
The changes to mask-wearing rules for student athletes follows a similar request from the Minnesota State High School League board last week. The board asked state health officials to allow athletes to compete outdoors without wearing masks this spring. The recommendation required athletes to wear masks during breaks before and after competitions, and while on the sidelines, which the state adopted.
Minnesota officials clarified that athletes must wear face coverings any time they're "not actively playing."
Meanwhile, data released in Thursday’s daily report by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) shows that both COVID-19 hospitalizations and cases are slightly up.
Currently 683 people are being treated for the virus in hospitals across Minnesota, with 196 of those patients requiring ICU care. With hospitalizations up, beds in the Twin Cities system are scarce with just 54 non-ICU beds open, a 1.5% vacancy rate.
Total hospitalizations are up to 29,477, with 6,006 of those patients needing ICU treatment. MDH says 538,450 people who tested positive for the virus at one time have recovered to the point they no longer need to isolate.
MDH recorded 1,973 new infections in the last day, bringing total cases in Minnesota to 562,420 since the pandemic began. Those new cases are based on results from 43,829 tests (36,448 PCR, 7,381 antigen) processed in private and state labs.
Minnesota’s four most populous counties also have the highest COVID numbers: Hennepin County has recorded 117,078 cases and 1,693 deaths, followed by Ramsey County with 48,500 cases and 859 deaths, Dakota County with 43,135 cases and 425 deaths, and Anoka County with 39,159 cases and 430 deaths.
Ten more COVID-related deaths have been reported in the last day, bringing fatalities to 7,054. Of those deaths 4,343 (61%) are tied to assisted living or long-term care settings.
The effort to vaccinate all Minnesotans against the virus continues, with 2,349,782 residents having been immunized with at least one dose, 53.3% of the state’s eligible population. MDH says 1,674,765 people have completed their COVID shot series and are considered fully immunized. That’s 38% of the population currently scheduled to be immunized.
