ST PAUL, Minn. — Wednesday, June 2
- COVID case numbers down, likely impacted by Memorial Day holiday
- 'Cheers for the Vaccine' campaign offers beer, cocktails for new vaccinations
- Gov. Walz announces vaccine incentives in Minnesota
- State Fairgrounds vaccination site begins Johnson & Johnson vaccinations; walk-in appointments available until June 8
2 p.m.
State health officials held a regular briefing to give more information on Minnesota's fight against COVID-19, as well as the state's vaccination efforts. You can watch the full briefing below.
11 a.m.
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) shared numbers Wednesday that suggest the impact of COVID-19 on the state is waning, but the department is also going through a change in the way data is recorded.
Reports from across the state are now being pulled at 4 a.m. the previous day, rather than in the afternoon hours.
Just 128 new cases were reported Wednesday, and that includes infections recorded from Sunday afternoon through Tuesday morning at 4 a.m. Testing volume was extremely low, with just 4,322 tests (3,637 PCE, 685 antigen) processed in private and state labs. Those numbers are likely impacted by the Memorial Day Holiday.
Total COVID cases have reached 601,645, with 43,401 of them based on antigen tests. MDH says a positive antigen test is considered a probable COVID case, while a positive PCR test is listed as confirmed.
Zero fatalities were recorded over the same time period, meaning total deaths due to COVID stay at 7,427. Of those fatalities 4,434 (60%) are associated with assisted living or long-term care facilities.
Hospitalizations saw a slight uptick with 260 people being cared for across the state on an inpatient basis, 76 of them requiring treatment in the ICU. Total hospitalizations are now up to 32,090 since the start of the pandemic.
MDH says 591,815 people who at one time tested positive for the virus have recovered to the point they no longer need to isolate.
The number of people who have received at least one dose of COVID vaccine continues to inch towards the goal of 70% by July 1, with 2,930,767 people (64.7% of those eligible) currently in that group. An even 59% of eligible Minnesotans have completed their COVID series (2,602,326) and are considered fully vaccinated.
The vaccine dashboard says 5,307,794 doses of vaccine have been administered, with 55.1% of them being Pfizer, 40.4% Moderna, and 4.5% Johnson & Johnson.
Minnesota's most populous counties have also recorded the most COVID activity. Hennepin County reports 124,322 cases and 1,752 deaths, Ramsey County 52,233 cases and 888 deaths, Dakota County 46,604 cases and 464 deaths, and Anoka County 42,506 cases and 452 fatalities.
Young adults ages 20 to 24 account for the largest grouping of cases with 58,124 and four deaths. The virus has been most deadly for those 85 to 89, with 1,339 fatalities in just 6,754 diagnosed cases.
Tuesday, June 1
11 a.m.
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is reporting just 134 new COVID-19 cases across the state, in data impacted by the Memorial Day holiday.
Because there were no numbers gathered or reported Monday, MDH says data shared on Tuesday will include Monday's report.
The department expects to be current with its data by Wednesday.
The new reported COVID infections are based on 9,748 tests (8,842 PCR, 906 antigen) processed in private and state labs, a low testing volume also likely impacted by the holiday weekend. Health experts consider a positive PCR test a confirmed COVID case, while a positive antigen test is considered probable.
Minnesota is now up to a total of 601,517 COVID cases since the pandemic began, with 43,387 of them based on antigen tests. Hennepin County, the state's most populous county, has recorded the most COVID activity with 124,283 cases and 1,752 deaths, followed by Ramsey County with 52,219 cases and 888 deaths, Dakota County with 46,591 cases and 464 deaths, and Anoka County with 42,496 cases and 452 fatalities.
Hospitalizations for the virus dipped well below the 300 mark as of Saturday, with 249 people across the state being treated for COVID on an inpatient basis, 79 of them in ICU. Total hospitalizations are at 32,059 since the virus arrived in March of 2020.
MDH says 590,814 people who at one point tested positive for COVID-19 have improved to the point they no longer need to be isolated.
One new COVID death was reported, bringing fatalities to 7,427. Of those deaths 4,434 (60%) are tied to long-term care or assisted living settings.
The number of Minnesotans who have received at least one dose of COVID vaccine is inching closer to the 3 million mark, reported at 2,926,302 as of Friday (64.6% of those eligible). The Walz administration introduced a number of incentives last week in an effort to jumpstart that number and reach 70% by July
Health officials say 58.9% of those currently eligible (2,597,333 people) have completed the COVID shot series and are considered fully vaccinated. A total of 5,298,997 doses have been administered.
