COVID In Minnesota: 21 Deaths, 1,525 New Cases Reported Friday
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - Minnesota health officials have reported an additional 1,525 cases of COVID and 21 deaths on Friday.
The new numbers from the Minnesota Department of Health bring the state's total case count to 452,268, while 6,032 people have died. Over 63% of the deaths have occurred in long-term care facilities, the demographic most impacted by the virus. Of the deaths reported Friday, 11 took place in a long-term care facility, and one person was experiencing homelessness.
There was a glimmer of hope for some 6,000 seniors this week, as the state opened nine vaccine sites throughout Minnesota as part of a pilot program. The first of the appointments were scheduled for Thursday, and those who have received their first dose have been scheduled to get their second. One of the goals of the pilot clinics is to figure out the most efficient way to deliver vaccine doses on a wider scale.
Over 214,050 Minnesotans have now received the first of two vaccine doses; roughly 3.9% of the population. The vaccine data dashboard says 49,604 Minnesotans have received the second dose. More than 39% of the doses have been used.
The seven-day rolling average positivity rate in Minnesota reached 5.1% as of Jan. 12 (numbers lag due to delays in data). A positivity rate above 5% is considered to be in the "caution" category. New cases per 100,0000 residents and hospital admissions have been dropping dramatically since the numbers peaked in November, but the percentage of cases with no known exposure - otherwise known as community spread - continues to hover around 34%. It is still in the "high risk" category, where it has been since the beginning of July, except one day when it dipped below 30% at the end of August.
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As of Thursday afternoon, there are 558 people in Minnesota hospitals with the virus, of which 98 are in the ICU. Roughly 87% of the ICU beds in the state are in use.
In the last 24 hours, 42,680 COVID tests have been processed. More than 3.1 Minnesotans have been tested for the virus since March.
