COVID In MN: Over 50% Of Eligible Minnesotans Have Received One Vaccine Dose; MDH Reports 2,429 New Cases, 10 Deaths
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - Over half of Minnesota's eligible population has received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, as health officials report 2,429 additional cases of the virus and 10 deaths.
Over 2.24 million Minnesotans 16 and older have received one dose, while 1.56 million - or 35% of the state's eligible population - has completed the vaccine series. Over 85% of those 65 and older have received one dose, and 78% have received their second. The state says they have administered 3.61 million doses total.
However, Minnesota also crossed another grim milestone on Saturday; 7,005 people have died since the pandemic began last March.
The majority of those deaths - 61% - took place in long-term care facilities and nursing homes, but as the pandemic continues, younger and younger people have been admitted to the hospital with severe cases of the virus. In all, 28,991 Minnesotans have been hospitalized due to the virus, of which 5,921 were in the ICU.
MORE: Minnesota Clinics Report Majority Of COVID Hospitalizations Are Under 65 Years Old Now
Minnesota Department of Health says there has been a cumulative 554,536 cases of the virus; 527,674 of those cases no longer require isolation.
Over 41,000 COVID-19 tests were processed in the last 24 hours.