COVID In Minnesota: Positivity Rate Rises To 6.2%, Over 160 Patients In ICU
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - Health officials on Friday reported 1,912 more COVID-19 cases and six additional deaths, as the seven-day average positivity rate creeps up to 6.2%.
In all, the state has seen 644,190 COVID-19 cases since March of 2020 and 7,799 deaths.
At the same time, state health data shows that over 6.14 million COVID-19 vaccines have been administered, and 59.3% of Minnesota's population has received their first dose. Fifty percent of kids between ages 12 and 15 have had their first shot, and 92 of those 65 and older have at least one dose.
Hospitalizations and case numbers have increased in the last few weeks as the Delta variant spreads. As of Thursday afternoon, there were 590 people in Minnesota hospitals with the virus, of which 166 were in the ICU. There are now 9.5 new hospital admissions per 100,000 residents, well into the "high risk" category of virus spread.
Health officials announced on Thursday additional COVID-19 testing sites in St. Paul and Bloomington. Both sites will offer free saliva testing.
Overall, over 37,000 COVID-19 tests were processed in the last 24 hours.