COVID In Minnesota: Daily New Case Rate Almost Above Line For 'High Risk'
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Hospitalizations continue to grow in Minnesota as more counties move into the CDC categorizations of "high" or "substantial" risk for the spread of COVID-19. As of Wednesday, there were 58 counties in either of those categories, or two of every three.
The latest figures of those hospitalized show 81 Minnesotans in ICU, compared to fewer than 20 on July 15. There are an additional 189 reported hospitalizations for COVID in the state. The figures show an average of 4.8 new daily hospitalizations per 100,000 residents, which is above the line of caution.
On Thursday, Minnesota's health department released its latest virus figures showing 878 more cases and five new deaths confirmed in the last 24 hours. Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 616,784 positive cases and 7,688 deaths.
The health department reports that the rolling average positivity rate is now at 4.2%. While that's below the line for caution (which is 5%), the positivity rate for the last few days indicates that we may actually be at or above that threshold.
There are also a reported 9.3 daily new cases per 100,000 Minnesota residents, which puts the state close to the line considered high risk. It would be the first time the state has been above that line since late May, should it cross the threshold.
Two central Minnesota schools have announced they will require COVID-19 vaccinations for students, faculty and staff before they return to campus later this month. The College of St. Benedict and St. John's University said students returning for fall semester will need at least one vaccine dose by Aug. 26.
The University of Minnesota has yet to require vaccines, but they are going to require masks indoors.
Meanwhile, COVID-19 cases among kids are rising just weeks away from the start of school. Mayo Clinic doctors pointed to these figures from the CDC. For the week ending July 29, there were 72,000 cases of COVID-19 in kids under 18. The week before, there were 40,000 cases.
As of Thursday morning, the latest figures from the Minnesota Department of Health showed that about 69.2% of Minnesotans 16 or older had received at least one dose, and 92% of those 65 or older had received at least one dose. In total, the state has administered 5,942,420 doses of vaccine, and has also topped 3 million residents having completed their vaccine series.
Wednesday was the first day newly vaccinated Minnesotans could apply for a $100 Visa gift card, an incentive by the state to spur vaccinations. The health department said 11,800 people submitted proof of their vaccination on the program's first day.
"More importantly, interest in the program coincides with an encouraging uptick in vaccine rates in the past week," an MDH spokesperson said. "The 58,000 doses administered over the past week are up 41% from the week prior."