COVID In Minnesota: Avg. Positivity Rate Falls Below Caution Threshold For 1st Time Since August
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Minnesota's rolling average COVID-19 positivity rate is below the line the state health department considers as cause for caution, now sitting at 4.9%. This marks the first time that figure has been below the line of caution since early August 2021. The line for high risk is drawn at 10%, and the line for caution at 5%.
The rate of new daily cases per 100,000 residents stands at 14.8, which is considered a bit above the line of high risk, but also significantly down from the recent peak of nearly 230.
Hospitalization rates have been falling alongside the positivity rate over recent weeks. The figure is currently at 7.3 per 100,000 residents, down from nearly 30 in January.
Meanwhile, Minnesota officials on Wednesday reported 833 new cases and 11 more deaths due to COVID-19.
The latest figures from the Minnesota Department of Health place the total case count at 1,417,811, which includes 61,498 reinfections.
Since the start of the pandemic, 12,183 Minnesotans have died from the virus.
There have now been 60,679 hospitalizations for COVID-19, according to the latest figures, 11,248 of which were ICU hospitalizations.
Also, the number of people currently listed in ICU with COVID-19 has fallen below 100 -- that figure currently sits at 60. Until late February, that figure hadn't been below 100 since last August. There are currently 412 COVID patients in non-ICU beds.
A total of 9,435,586 vaccine doses have been administered in the state, including about 2.15 million boosters. Of the state's 5 and older population, 74.5% have received at least one shot; that figure is at 96.7% among the state's 65+ population.