ST PAUL, Minn. — Tuesday, Nov.16
- MDH reports 51 deaths, 10,913 cases, 1,348 hospitalizations
- Health officials report no available critical care beds in Itasca County
- US lifts international pandemic travel ban
- Minnesota launches new website with info on COVID vaccines for kids
- State partners with skilled-nursing facility to offer hospitals overwhelmed by COVID relief
2 p.m.
Minnesota Department of Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm said the state of Minnesota is preparing to expand COVID-19 vaccine booster shot eligibility to all adults as soon as this week, with or without the federal government.
"Given the very serious circumstances here in Minnesota ... we're preparing to move ahead independently this week to expand booster eligibility if there is no action at the federal level, which we definitely hope there will be this week." Malcolm said.
Currently, the CDC says Americans are eligible for a booster if they are 65 or older, have underlying medical conditions, work in high-risk or long-term care settings, and for anyone who received the single-dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine.
Malcolm said there is growing support for expanded booster eligibility at the federal level, however she said Minnesotans can't wait.
"Given the alarming surge in COVID cases that Minnesota is facing... with the current case levels that we have and as we now head indoors for the winter and gather for the holidays, this booster protection is particularly important and timely. We need to do all we can to make sure all Minnesotans have the full benefit of vaccine protection to help themselves, their communities, and the entire state get out of the grip of this fall COVID surge from the Delta variant," Malcolm said. "The evidence is also increasingly clear at boosters for all adults... can strengthen that protection longer."
11 a.m.
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) announced Tuesday that the number of COVID-19 cases in the state has increased by 10,913 over the weekend.
MDH no longer shares data on weekends, so numbers released on Tuesdays reflect reports from 4 a.m. Friday to 4 a.m. Monday.
The cumulative total cases (including reinfections) in Minnesota is now at 857,791 since the start of the pandemic.
Fifty-one people died, bringing the cumulative COVID-19 death total to 9,047. The number reported Tuesday includes deaths from Thursday (Veterans Day) as no fatality numbers were collected on the holiday.
The new deaths reported include a teenager between the ages of 15 and 19 in Goodhue County.
Health officials say 4,843 of the state's total deaths have taken place in long-term care or assisted living facilities.
According to MDH's latest data available, 1,348 people are being treated for COVID in hospitals around the state, with 1,041 in non-ICU beds and 307 in the ICU.
Total hospitalizations since the arrival of COVID have risen to 43,418.
MDH says 7,394,003 total doses of vaccine have been administered in the state, with 3,548,912 people age 5 and older having received at least one shot (68.1%). Of that number 3,330,128 people have completed their COVID series and are considered completely vaccinated (63.9%).
The percentage of people age 16 and older having received at least one shot is now at 75.5%.
The state vaccine dashboard says of the total doses that have been administered in Minnesota, 59.3% are Pfizer, 36.6% are Moderna and 4.1% are Johnson & Johnson.
MDH is planning to hold a news conference to share the latest public health information regarding COVID-19 at 2 p.m. KARE 11 plans to cover it live on our YouTube page, with links posted on our other social platforms.
Monday, Nov. 15
11 a.m.
On Monday, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) reported that as of Friday at 4 a.m., there were 5,266 new COVID cases around the state.
The cumulative total cases (including reinfections) in Minnesota is now at 846,887 since the start of the pandemic.
MDH is reporting zero new deaths from the virus because the department did not process deaths data on Nov. 11, due to the Veterans Day holiday. MDH says reports of newly reported deaths will resume tomorrow.
According to MDH's latest data available, 1,282 people are being treated for COVID in hospitals around the state, with 971 in non-ICU beds and 311 in the ICU.
That number is the highest Minnesota has seen since Dec. 14, 2020, when 1,307 people were being treated for COVID on an inpatient basis around the state.
The availability of staffed ICU beds around the state remains slim, with MDH reporting zero available beds in the northeast region of the state, one bed in the northwest region and two in central Minnesota. In the Twin Cities metro, only eight staffed ICU beds are open across the entire hospital system.
Since the pandemic began, 43,193 people have been hospitalized in Minnesota for COVID-19.
MDH reported 7,306,683 total doses of vaccine have been administered in the state, with 3,530,246 people age 5 and older having received at least one shot (67.7%). Of that number 3,314,412 people have completed their COVID series and are considered completely vaccinated (63.6%).
The percentage of people age 16 and older having received at least one shot is now at 75.4%.
The state vaccine dashboard says of the total doses that have been administered in Minnesota, 59.4% are Pfizer, 36.4% are Moderna and 4.2% are Johnson & Johnson.
Friday, Nov. 12
On Friday, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) reported 4,849 new COVID cases and 28 new deaths in the state.
The cumulative total cases in the state is now at 841,625 since the start of the pandemic.
During a call with reporters Wednesday MDH officials said the amount of virus and spike in cases has them concerned, especially as people are starting to think about holiday get-togethers. Health officials said another factor is that people's immunity may also be waning, especially if they got vaccinated more than six months ago.
Of the 28 newly reported deaths, one of the victims was a person between the ages of 25 and 29 in Hennepin County.
The cumulative death total is now at 8,996 for the state.
Health officials say 4,835 deaths have taken place in long-term care or assisted living facilities.
According to MDH's latest data available, 1,245 people are being treated for COVID in hospitals around the state, with 949 in non-ICU beds and 296 in the ICU.
MDH reported 7,271,619 total doses of vaccine have been administered in the state, with 3,522,489 people age 5 and older having received at least one shot (67.6%). Of that number 3,311,952 people have completed their COVID series and are considered completely vaccinated (63.5%).
The percentage of people age 16 and older having received at least one shot is now at 75.4%.
The state vaccine dashboard says of the total doses that have been administered in Minnesota, 59.4% are Pfizer, 36.4% are Moderna and 4.2% are Johnson & Johnson.