COVID In Minnesota: 16 Deaths, 1,715 New Cases; Nearly 50% Of Eligible Minnesotans Have Received 1st Vaccine Dose
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - Health officials in Minnesota reported 1,715 new cases of COVID-19 and 16 additional deaths, as the number of eligible Minnesotans who have received their first vaccine dose nears 50%.
In all, the state has seen 547,101 cumulative COVID-19 cases since last March, with 6,978 total fatalities.
The past weeks have seen a steady rise in virus cases in Minnesota; as of April 4, the seven-day average positivity rate had reached 7.2%. The Center for Disease Control says Minnesota has seen the second highest cumulative case count per 100,000 residents in the last seven days. Compared to other states and territories, Minnesota is seeing 290 cases per 100,000 residents, putting it behind Michigan, which is seeing 510 cases per 100,000 residents.
For the first time since the start of the pandemic, some Minnesota clinics say the majority of their hospitalizations are patients under the age of 65. The state is seeing 10.5 hospital admissions per 100,000 residents, a number not seen since the end of January. More than 28,600 Minnesotans have been hospitalized due to the virus.
However, now roughly 33% of Minnesotans aged 16 and older have completed the vaccine series; 48% have received at least one dose.
In the past 24 hours, the state has completed over 24,000 COVID-19 tests, and 522,843 of those who have contracted the virus no longer need to self-isolate.
