ST PAUL, Minnesota —
- MDH reports new 28 COVID-related deaths
- CDC eases mask guidelines, however still recommended in some parts of MN
- Mayo Clinic modeling shows COVID decline in coming weeks
Monday, Feb. 28
11 a.m.
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) reported 28 new COVID-related deaths on Monday, bringing the statewide death toll from the pandemic to 12,109. Of those deaths, 5,564 were reported in long-term care or assisted living facilities.
The majority of Minnesota's hospital beds are still in use, according to the most recent MDH data. For non-ICU adult hospital beds, 92.1% are in use and 90.9% of adult ICU beds are occupied. The percentage of the state's hospital beds being used is similar, with 92.0% of non-ICU beds for kids being used and 88.4% of children's ICU beds occupied.
According to MDH data, fewer than 600 people in Minnesota are hospitalized with COVID-19. As of Feb. 25, 81 people were in the ICU and 476 others were hospitalized with the virus.
Since the vaccine rollout began last year, MDH reports 9,406,441 total vaccine doses have been administered and nearly two-thirds of those eligible in the state have been fully vaccinated. According to MDH, 3,876,956 people ages 5 and up have received one dose of the vaccine (74.4% of those eligible) and 3,654,604 people have been fully vaccinated (70.1%).
The vaccination rate in Minnesota's children is still behind the statewide rate for everyone but is improving. So far, 203,788 children ages five through 11 have received one dose (40%) and 178,257 have been fully vaccinated (35%).
On Monday, 1,122 new COVID-19 cases in the state were reported by MDH. State health officials say the number of new cases does not accurately paint the full picture of the statistics because at-home tests are not accounted for in MDH's data.
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