ST PAUL, Minn. — Thursday, June 3
- COVID case numbers down, likely impacted by Memorial Day holiday
- 'Cheers for the Vaccine' campaign offers beer, cocktails for new vaccinations
- Gov. Walz announces vaccine incentives in Minnesota
- State Fairgrounds vaccination site begins Johnson & Johnson vaccinations; walk-in appointments available until June 8
While state leaders and health officials continue to express optimism about trends in COVID-19 cases, on Thursday comes a reminder of the human toll the pandemic continues to take.
Data released by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) reflects the deaths of 10 more Minnesotans from the virus, bringing total fatalities in the state to 7,437. Of those deaths 4,438 (60%) are linked to long-term care or assisted living facilities.
MDH has recorded 238 new COVID cases in the past day, up from 128 reported Wednesday but well below the levels seen in late April and early May. The new cases are based on results from 9,706 tests (8,127 PCR, 1,579 antigen) processed in private and state labs. That testing volume is low, but still more than twice the number of COVID tests reported Wednesday.
Minnesota has now recorded 601,881 total COVID infections, with 43,449 of those cases based on antigen tests. MDH considers a positive antigen test a probable COVID case, while a positive PCR test is considered a confirmed case.
Hospitalizations across the state due to COVID remain fairly steady, with 252 people being treated on an inpatient basis as of Wednesday, 72 of them with symptoms serious enough to require ICU care. Total hospitalizations are at 32,148 since the pandemic started.
MDH says 592,091 people who tested positive for the virus are now healthy enough that isolation is no longer required.
The state vaccination dashboard says nearly 60% of eligible Minnesotans 16 and older (2,610,957 people) have completed their COVID shot series and are considered fully immunized. That's just behind the number of people who have received at least one dose (2,934,955), 64.7% of the population eligible to be vaccinated. MDH reports less than 80,000 Minnesotans between the ages of 12 and 15 have received at least one COVID shot.
A total of 5,320,162 doses have been administered in the state.
Wednesday, June 2
2 p.m.
State health officials held a regular briefing to give more information on Minnesota's fight against COVID-19, as well as the state's vaccination efforts. You can watch the full briefing below.
11 a.m.
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) shared numbers Wednesday that suggest the impact of COVID-19 on the state is waning, but the department is also going through a change in the way data is recorded.
Reports from across the state are now being pulled at 4 a.m. the previous day, rather than in the afternoon hours.
Just 128 new cases were reported Wednesday, and that includes infections recorded from Sunday afternoon through Tuesday morning at 4 a.m. Testing volume was extremely low, with just 4,322 tests (3,637 PCE, 685 antigen) processed in private and state labs. Those numbers are likely impacted by the Memorial Day Holiday.
Total COVID cases have reached 601,645, with 43,401 of them based on antigen tests. MDH says a positive antigen test is considered a probable COVID case, while a positive PCR test is listed as confirmed.
Zero fatalities were recorded over the same time period, meaning total deaths due to COVID stay at 7,427. Of those fatalities 4,434 (60%) are associated with assisted living or long-term care facilities.
Hospitalizations saw a slight uptick with 260 people being cared for across the state on an inpatient basis, 76 of them requiring treatment in the ICU. Total hospitalizations are now up to 32,090 since the start of the pandemic.
MDH says 591,815 people who at one time tested positive for the virus have recovered to the point they no longer need to isolate.
The number of people who have received at least one dose of COVID vaccine continues to inch towards the goal of 70% by July 1, with 2,930,767 people (64.7% of those eligible) currently in that group. An even 59% of eligible Minnesotans have completed their COVID series (2,602,326) and are considered fully vaccinated.
The vaccine dashboard says 5,307,794 doses of vaccine have been administered, with 55.1% of them being Pfizer, 40.4% Moderna, and 4.5% Johnson & Johnson.
Minnesota's most populous counties have also recorded the most COVID activity. Hennepin County reports 124,322 cases and 1,752 deaths, Ramsey County 52,233 cases and 888 deaths, Dakota County 46,604 cases and 464 deaths, and Anoka County 42,506 cases and 452 fatalities.
Young adults ages 20 to 24 account for the largest grouping of cases with 58,124 and four deaths. The virus has been most deadly for those 85 to 89, with 1,339 fatalities in just 6,754 diagnosed cases.