ST PAUL, Minn. — Wednesday, April 28
- MDH reports 22 COVID deaths, most since 24 were reported Feb. 11
- CDC relaxes guidelines for wearing masks outdoors
- COVID-19 vaccination appointments now available directly through Vaccine Connector
2 p.m.
The Minnesota Department of Health held a phone briefing on the state's COVID-19 situation after the agency reported the highest daily virus-related death total since February.
MDH Commissioner Jan Malcolm noted the state is seeing a rise in hospitalizations in all age groups over 20 years old.
"We are seeing serious illness in those younger age groups," Kris Ehresmann, the department's infectious disease director, added.
"The median age of hospitalization has dropped by a decade from what we were seeing from November to March, and then from March to April it had dropped by another year," Ehresmann said.
For the 20- to 29-year-old age group, Minnesota recorded a jump from 1.2% of cases leading to hospitalizations in November, to 1.5% most recently, Ehresmann said. For the 50- to 59-year-old age group, the state saw an increase in hospitalizations from 3.7% in November to 6.7% most recently.
Ehresmann explained that every single one of the 10-year age groups over age 20 have seen an increase in hospitalizations.
She acknowledged that variants, such as B.1.1.7, could lead to more severe disease.
"It's more transmissible, and there have been a number of studies that have suggested that it could be more severe," she said.
Listen to the full briefing below:
11 a.m.
Data released Wednesday by the Minnesota Department of Health reflects the continuing human cost of COVID-19 in Minnesota.
Despite the increasing number of state residents who are getting vaccinated for the virus, 22 more deaths were reported in the last day. That brings total Minnesota fatalities to 7,113 since the onset of the pandemic, with each of those deaths impacting family members and friends left behind.
MDH recorded 1,514 new infections, a significant jump from Tuesday's 1,088, but testing volume was also up significantly with 24,496 tests (20,030 PCR, 4,466 antigen) processed in private and state labs. Health officials consider a PCR test a confirmed COVID case, while a positive antigen test is considered a probable case.
Hospitalizations remain steady, with 643 people being treated for COVID on an inpatient basis as of Tuesday. Of those patients 178 require ICU care. Total hospitalizations have climbed past another threshold, with 30,040 since the pandemic came to Minnesota. State health officials say 550,992 people who at one time tested positive for COVID have improved and no longer require isolation.
The virus has had the deadliest impact on Minnesotans in their 80s. Those between 85 and 89 account for 1,314 deaths in just 6,638 diagnosed cases, and people from 80 to 84 make up 1,149 deaths in 8,577 cases.
Young adults are the largest grouping of cases, with people from age 20 to 24 recording 55,652 cases and four deaths.
The top four counties in population also account for the most COVID activity. They are, in order: Hennepin County with 118,899 cases and 1,703 deaths, Ramsey County with 49,383 cases and 860 deaths, Dakota County with 44,032 cases and 430 deaths, and Anoka County with 39,913 and 427 fatalities.
Tuesday, April 27
2 p.m.
Gov. Walz, Lt. Gov. Flanagan and MDH Commissioner Jan Malcolm are touring one of the state's new mobile vaccination units. They are also expected to speak on Minnesota's COVID-19 trends and vaccine efforts.
At the event, Walz said the units will help people without computer or transportation access get vaccinated.
"We'll keep adding these, we'll keep bringing them to workplaces, we'll keep bringing them to schools," he said.
He referenced Monday's announcement that a child in southwestern Minnesota had died from COVID-19, saying the state's struggle against the virus isn't over.
Asked about the CDC's recent relaxed guidance regarding outdoor mask-wearing, he said the state bases its guidelines on the CDC's recommendations.
MDH Commissioner Jan Malcolm agreed, saying transmission is less likely outdoors.
Asked about vaccinating minors, Malcolm said MDH is already working with schools to vaccinate 16 and 17-year-olds, who are eligible for the Pfizer vaccine. She said it's likely that eligibility will expand to kids as young as 12 soon.
Walz addressed "vaccine hesitancy," the idea of people putting off or refusing the vaccine due to concerns about its safety or usefulness. He said he doesn't want to characterize people as vaccine hesitant, and that he feels they want to make an informed decisions. He said lack of convenience and barriers to vaccine access are other contributing factors.
11 a.m.
Data released Tuesday by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) reflects a slight single-day drop in COVID cases across Minnesota, but 12 additional deaths from the virus.
Those deaths, up from zero reported Monday, bring the state's total to 7,091 since the start of the pandemic, 4,354 of which are associated with long-term or assisted living settings (61%).
MDH recorded 1,088 new infections in the past day, based on results from 13,658 tests (12,136 PCR, 1,522 antigen) processed in private and state labs. Health officials consider a PCR test a confirmed COVID case, while a positive antigen test is considered probable.
The new cases bring Minnesota's total to 570,518. Of those cases 37,952 are based on antigen tests.
Hospitals across the state report 641 people are currently being treated for COVID on an inpatient basis, with 184 of those people requiring ICU care. That number is up from 613 hospitalizations listed Sunday. In total 29,918 people have been hospitalized for COVID since the virus was documented in Minnesota.
MDH says 549,110 people who at one time tested positive for COVID have recovered to the point they no longer need to isolate.
The state vaccine dashboard says as of Saturday 56% of Minnesotans eligible to receive a COVID vaccination (age 16+) has been immunized at least once, 2,468,406 people. MDH says 1,811,171 people have completed their COVID series, and are considered fully vaccinated. That's 41.1% of those eligible.
More than 4 million total vaccinations have been given to Minnesotans. Gov. Tim Walz announced that anyone who needs a vaccination appointment can now do so directly via the state's Vaccine Connector website (see full story below).
Young adults continue to be a concern for state health officials, with those between 20 and 24 accounting for 55,517 cases, the largest grouping of any age group. The virus has had the deadliest effect on those 85 to 89, with 1,312 deaths in just 6,632 reported cases.
The state's four most populous counties have recorded the most COVID activity: Hennepin County reports 118,597 cases and 1,700 deaths, followed by Ramsey County with 49,230 cases and 859 deaths, Dakota County with 43,909 cases and 427 deaths, and Anoka County with 39,790 cases and 424 fatalities.
Cook County in northeastern Minnesota reports the least COVID activity with 153 cases and zero deaths.