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Live updates: 3,348 new COVID cases; 16 deaths

Here is the latest data on Minnesota's battle against COVID-19, and increased vaccination and testing across the state.

ST PAUL, Minn. — Friday, Oct. 29

11 a.m.

  • 3,348 new COVID cases reported Friday, 915 hospitalizations
  • Walz says vaccinations are up nearly 40% among 12-17 years old
  • Walz gives vax plan for children 5 to 11 on Wednesday

On Friday, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) reported 3,348 new cases of COVID-19 in the state.

The cumulative total cases in the state is now at 787,550 since the start of the pandemic. 

MDH also reported 16 deaths from the virus on Friday, bringing the cumulative death total to 8,669 since the pandemic began. 

Health officials say 4,753 deaths have taken place in long-term care or assisted living facilities.

The fatalities reported Friday include three people between the ages of 40 and 59 in Hubbard, Wright and Hennepin Counties.

Credit: KARE 11

According to MDH's latest data available, 915 people are being treated for COVID in hospitals around the state, with 703 in non-ICU beds and 212 in the ICU. 

Total hospitalizations since the arrival of COVID have risen to 41,129.

Credit: KARE 11

MDH reported 6,906,114 total doses of vaccine have been administered in the state, with 3,466,097 having received at least one shot (74.7%). Of that number 3,300,397 people have completed their COVID series and are considered completely vaccinated. At least 74.7% of Minnesotans age 16 or older have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Credit: KARE 11
Credit: KARE 11

The state vaccine dashboard says of the total doses that have been administered in Minnesota, nearly 60% are Pfizer, nearly 36% Moderna and just 4.2% are Johnson & Johnson.

Meanwhile, Governor Walz announced Friday that COVID first dose vaccinations are up nearly 40% among kids 12-17 years old in the state.

That age group currently has the lowest vaccination rate.

Six months into the pre-teens and teens becoming eligible, the "Kids Deserve a Shot" campaign kicked off to help increase the vaccination rate.

The first week of the campaign, more than 2,200 Minnesotans 12-17 got their first vaccine dose, compared to just 1,600 the week before, according to the Office of Governor Walz.

"Every shot in the arm helps us fight COVID-19, and we're excited to reward every 12-17-year-old who joins us in that fight," said Governor Walz.

The deadline for 12-17-year-olds to get their first shot and be eligible for a $200 Visa gift card is just over a week away.

Parents and their kids can learn more about the gift cards rewards and a college scholarship drawings at mn.gov/covid19/vaccine/vaccine-rewards/kids-deserve-a-shot.

Thursday, Oct. 28

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is reporting 41 new COVID-19 deaths Thursday, one day after reporting 31 fatalities from the virus.

The fatalities reported Thursday include a person between the ages of 45 and 49 in St. Louis County. Two more deaths included people between the ages of 55 and 59 in Morrison and Mower Counties. Both Ramsey and St. Louis Counties recorded four COVID deaths. 

Minnesota last recorded this man daily deaths on Sept. 15, when 41 people COVID fatalities were also noted. 

Health officials say 4,750 deaths have taken place in long-term care or assisted living facilities. The cumulative death total now stands at 8,653 in Minnesota since the pandemic began. 

Credit: KARE 11

MDH also reports 2,690 new cases of COVID in the state, bringing the cumulative cases to a total of 784,233.

According to MDH's latest data available, 923 people are being treated for COVID in hospitals around the state, with 712 in non-ICU beds and 211 in the ICU. 

Total hospitalizations since the arrival of COVID have risen to 41,026.

Credit: KARE 11

MDH says 6,881,503 total doses of vaccine have been administered in the state, with 3,463,647 people age 16 and older having received at least one shot (74.7%). Of that number 3,295,825 people have completed their COVID series and are considered completely vaccinated (71.2%).

Credit: KARE 11
Credit: KARE 11

Wednesday, Oct. 27

11 a.m.

On Wednesday, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) reported more than 30 new COVID deaths and 1,810 new cases in the state.

The cumulative total cases in the state is now at 781,548 since the start of the pandemic. 

MDH says 31 more people died from the virus, bringing total fatalities in the state to 8,612. Of those deaths 4,743 (55%) have taken place in long-term care or assisted living facilities.

The fatalities reported Wednesday include two people between the ages of 45 and 49 in Ramsey and Wright Counties.

Credit: KARE 11

According to MDH's latest data available, 911 people are being treated for COVID in hospitals around the state, with 691 in non-ICU beds and 220 being cared for in the ICU. Daily hospitalizations continue to trend downward slightly, after peaking above 1,000 a couple of weeks ago.

Total hospitalizations since the arrival of COVID have risen to 40,868.

Credit: KARE 11

MDH reported 6,851,511 total doses of vaccine have been administered in the state, with 3,460,119 people age 16 and older having received at least one shot (74.6%). Of that number 3,292,754 people have completed their COVID series and are considered completely vaccinated (71.2%).

Credit: KARE 11

The state vaccine dashboard says of the total doses that have been administered in Minnesota, 60% are Pfizer, nearly 36% Moderna and just 4.3% are Johnson & Johnson.

Meanwhile, Governor Tim Walz announced the state's plan to vaccinate 5-to-11 year-olds after the U.S. Food and Drug Advisory Committee voted to recommend the use of the Pfizer vaccine.

"Every 5-11-year-old in Minnesota deserves the protection the COVID-19 vaccine has to offer," said Governor Walz in a news release. "The state is prepared for this critical moment in the battle against COVID-19. Our goal is to ensure that the vaccine is widely, equitably, and efficiently available to all children ages 5-11. We'll be ready to do our part when the federal government gives us the green light, and I encourage parents to get their children vaccinated when the shots are ready."

Governor Walz said his administration has a network of more than 1,100 providers to help administer the COVID vaccines to the children. Those providers cannot begin vaccinating children until the CDC issues final recommendations, which could come later next week. 

If approved, Minnesota families can:

  • Check with their pediatrician or family medicine clinic about appointments. 
  • Visit mn.gov/vaccine to use the Vaccine Locator Map to locate and contact providers near them.
  • Utilize the CDC's Vaccine Finder at vaccines.gov to find pharmacies offering pediatric vaccinations.
  • Look to your local school district for more information about vaccination opportunities in your child's school.

For more information on the COVID vaccine, you can visit the Minnesota Department of Heath website and the CDC website.

The MDH is planning to hold a news conference about the new plan at 2 p.m. KARE 11 plans to cover it live on our YouTube page, with links posted on our other social platforms.

Tuesday, Oct. 26

2 p.m. 

Gov. Tim Walz joined former Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Minnesota Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm at an vaccination event on Tuesday, where they each received a COVID-19 booster vaccination.

Walz and Malcolm each received a booster dose of the Moderna vaccine; Pawlenty, who originally receive the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, received another dose of J&J.

"I'm really glad to be joined by my friend, Tim Pawlenty... who has been an advocate of helping make sure we get out the good message around the safety of these vaccines and the importance of getting vaccinated." Gov. Walz said.

"The vaccinated are a coalition of the willing who are helping to lead the charge to put an end to this pandemic," former Gov. Pawlenty said. "Governor Walz and I, on a bipartisan basis, want to encourage everyone who's eligible to become vaccinated."

11:30 a.m.

Gov. Tim Walz and state health officials continue their push to ramp up COVID testing by announcing the opening of three new rapid testing sites across the state. 

The sites, supported by activated personnel from the Minnesota National Guard, will be located in Inver Grove Heights, Hibbing and Wadena and are set to open on Tuesday, Oct. 26. 

A COVID saliva testing site located in Bemidji will open Thursday, Oct. 28. 

“Minnesotans continue to navigate daycare, school, and work all alongside the ongoing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Free and fast testing options help families keep their lives on track,” said Walz in a released statement. “That’s why we continue to expand testing opportunities in the metro and Greater Minnesota to meet Minnesotans where they are. We are taking action to make sure all Minnesotans have access to testing options at our free community testing network.”

Here are the locations of the new sites, along with hours of operation. 

Inver Grove Heights Rapid Testing Site

Opens Tuesday, October 26

Inver Grove Heights Armory

8076 Babcock Trail

Inver Grove Heights, MN 55077

Monday - Friday

From 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Hibbing Rapid Testing Site

Opens Tuesday, October 26

Hibbing Armory

2310 Brooklyn Dr

Hibbing, MN 55746

Monday - Tuesday

11 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Wadena Rapid Testing Site

Opens Tuesday, October 26

Wadena Armory

517 Jefferson St N

Wadena, MN 56482

Monday - Tuesday

11 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Last week, the state launched new COVID-19 community rapid testing sites in Stillwater, Crookston, and Hutchinson. In just the first week, 635 participants were tested in Stillwater, 157 participants were tested in Hutchinson, and 49 participants were tested in Crookston.

11 a.m.

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) announced Tuesday that the number of COVID-19 cases in the state has increased by 6,583 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.

Twenty-two more people have died from the virus, bringing the cumulative COVID-19 death total to 8,581 since the pandemic began. The new fatalities recorded include a person between the ages of 20 and 24 in Hennepin County. 

Credit: KARE 11

Health officials say 4,736 of the state's fatalities have taken place in long-term care or assisted living facilities.

MDH reports that a total of 935 people are currently hospitalized and being treated for the virus on an inpatient basis. Of those patients, 210 require ICU care. Total hospitalizations since the arrival of COVID have risen to 40,673. 

Credit: KARE 11

MDH says 6,827,975 total doses of vaccine have been administered in the state, with 3,457,677 people age 16 and older having received at least one shot (74.5%) as of Sunday. Of that number 3,290,572 people have completed their COVID series and are considered completely vaccinated (71.1%).

Credit: KARE 11
Credit: KARE 11

Monday, Oct. 25  

Data released Monday by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) reflects another day of new COVID cases above the 3,000 threshold, a level that supports the growing concern of state health officials about transmission of the delta variant and the increasing strain on our health system. 

MDH says between 4 a.m. Thursday and 4 a.m. Friday, 3,010 new infections were recorded, bringing total cases in the state to 773,227 since the pandemic began. Those new cases are based on 59,125 tests (50,753 PCR, 8,372 antigen) processed in private and state labs, a relatively high volume. 

According to a statement from MDH, around 19,000 of the test results reported today are because of a backlog from external laboratories. MDH says about 12,000 of those were from a lab that sent two weeks of results on one day, while the remaining 7,000 were due to processing results from two other labs.

The Walz administration has been emphasizing increased testing, setting up rapid testing sites in communities around the state. The rationale is that adults and children (who can't yet be vaccinated) can quarantine and avoid further exposures if they test and learn they are positive for the virus. 

Another 22 Minnesotans have lost their lives to COVID, including a Ramsey County resident in their mid-to-late 30s, and three others in their mid-to-late 40s. That brings total fatalities in the state to 8,559. Health officials say of that number 4,731 (55%) are associated with assisted living or long-term care settings. 

Credit: KARE

Hospitalizations appear to be trending down slightly, after reaching over 1,000 in recent days. As of Friday 907 people were being treated for COVID on an inpatient basis across Minnesota, with 227 of those requiring ICU care. Bed availability remains fairly low in areas of the state, including the Twin Cities where just 8 ICU beds (1.3% of supply across the system) were open. MDH says 57 non-ICU beds were open (1.6% of supply) as of Friday. 

Credit: KARE

The state vaccination dashboard says 6,788,261 total doses of vaccine have been administered across the state, of which 60% are Pfizer, 35.7% Moderna and 4.3% Johnson & Johnson. The most recent data available shows 3,452,704 people age 16 and older have received at least one immunization (74.5%) while 3,285,805 of those have completed their shot series and are considered fully vaccinated against COVID. 

Credit: KARE

MDH says 153,040 children ages 12 to 15 are completely vaccinated, and a decision by the CDC as early as tomorrow could make children 5 to 11 eligible to be immunized as well. 

Friday, Oct. 22

11 a.m. 

On Friday, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) reported 2,150 new cases of COVID-19 in the state, with more than 20 people dying from the virus.

The cumulative case total in the state is now at 770,246 since the start of the pandemic. 

MDH also reported 22 deaths from the virus on Friday, bringing total deaths to 8,537 since the pandemic began. Health officials say 4,725 of those deaths (55%) have taken place in long-term care or assisted living facilities.

The fatalities reported Friday include four people between the ages of 35 and 54 in St. Louis, Ramsey, and Itasca Counties.

Credit: KARE

According to MDH's latest available data, 915 people are being treated for COVID in hospitals around the state with 692 in non-ICU beds and 223 in the ICU. Daily hospitalizations continue to trend downward slightly, after peaking above 1,000 one week ago.

Total hospitalizations since the arrival of COVID have risen to 40,442.

Credit: KARE

MDH reported 6,770,883 total doses of vaccine have been administered in the state, with 3,449,658 people age 16 and older having received at least one shot (74.4%). Of that number 3,282,820 people have completed their COVID series and are considered completely vaccinated (71.0%).

Credit: KARE

The state vaccine dashboard says of the total doses that have been administered in Minnesota, nearly 60% are Pfizer, nearly 36% Moderna and just 4.3% are Johnson & Johnson.

9 a.m. 

State health officials say Native Americans have contracted COVID-19 at two to three times the rate of white Minnesotans over the past month. 

The director of the Center for American Indian and Minority Health at the University of Minnesota, Mary Owen, says there are large pockets of unvaccinated people in the 18 to 49 age range in Minnesota’s tribal communities and across the country. 

Owen attributes that in part to vaccine access. She says that’s especially concerning because Native Americans have high rates of health disparities and challenges that put them at higher risk for serious illness, such as diabetes. 

The state has instituted mobile and pop-up vaccination clinics in an attempt to reach challenged populations that struggle with access issued.

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