ST PAUL, Minn. — Monday, June 14
- MDH: State just 1,800 short of 3 million partially vaccinated as of Saturday
- 118 new cases, 5 deaths reported Monday
- Novavax study shows its shot is highly effective against COVID
- Second pop-up vaccination clinic opens at MSP Airport, this one in Humphrey Terminal
Minnesota stands on the cusp of a vaccination milestone, having 3 million residents at least partially immunized against COVID-19.
Data released Monday by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) shows that as of Saturday 2,998,200 people ages 16-plus (65.8% of those eligible) have received at least one dose of vaccine, and due to a lag in reporting it is likely that number already tops 3 million. Of those residents 61.3% (2,755,522 people) have completed their COVID shot sequence and are considered fully vaccinated.
The percentage of those partially vaccinated has been climbing up at a snail's pace, many recent days just a tenth of a percentage point, and right now there are serious questions about whether the governor's goal of having 70% of eligible Minnesotans receive a single dose by July 4 is attainable.
For the eighth consecutive day new COVID cases in Minnesota are below the 200 mark: MDH says 118 new infections were reported in the last day, based on results from 11,697 tests (10,222 PCR, 1,475 antigen) processed in private and state labs.
Health officials consider a positive PCR test a confirmed COVID case, while a positive antigen case is considered probable.
As of Monday Minnesota has recorded 603,876 COVID infections, of which 43,787 are based on antigen tests.
The state's four most populous counties have also reported the most COVID activity. Hennepin County has documented 124,779 cases and 1,772 deaths, followed by Ramsey County with 52,449 cases and 895 deaths, Dakota County with 46,780 cases and 470 deaths, and Anoka County with 42,709 cases and 458 deaths.
Cook County, in the bottom 10 counties in terms of population, has reported the least COVID activity with 172 cases and zero deaths.
Five more people have died from COVID, bringing total fatalities to 7,517. Of those deaths 4,457 (59%) are linked to assisted living or long-term care settings.
As of Friday hospitalizations remained fairly steady with 178 people being treated for the virus on an inpatient basis, 48 of them in ICU. Total hospitalizations now stand at 32,420 since the pandemic began.
MDH says 594,956 people who have tested positive for COVID have now passed the point where they require isolation.
Sunday, June 13
11 a.m.
New COVID-19 cases in Minnesota remained under 200 for the seventh day in a row Saturday.
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) reported 173 new COVID-19 cases and 9 more deaths. Since the beginning of the pandemic, 603,760 people in Minnesota have been diagnosed with the virus and 7,512 have died from it.
Of those deaths, 4,456 (59%) are associated with long-term care or assisted living facilities.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, 32,412 people have been hospitalized with the virus in Minnesota. Of that total, 6,573 were treated in ICUs.
Out of everyone who has been diagnosed with the virus in Minnesota, 594,691 have recovered to the point where they no longer need to isolate.
As for the state's vaccination effort, MDH said 2,996,575 Minnesotans have been at least partially vaccinated against COVID-19. Of that group, 2,748,409 are considered fully vaccinated against the virus.
MDH said 5,511,077 vaccines have been administered in Minnesota.