3 things to know
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The last wave of active cases that are withdrawing; The ICU still needs to be relatively large
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About 53 percent of Minnesota people aged 16 and over received at least one dose of vaccine; 37 percent are completely vaccinated
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The pace of the vaccine decreases as supplies run out
Updated 11:55 am
Minnesota’s COVID-19 numbers continue to suggest that the latest wave of cases may have increased, although intensive care hospitalization remains relatively high and recently reported deaths have revived.
Known, active cases reached just over 16,000 in the State Department of Health’s report on Wednesday, continuing a withdrawal from Friday’s peak of just over 20,000.
Given the state’s vaccination rate, officials did not expect this wave to match the rise in late November, when active cases jumped to about 50,000. But they were concerned about the increase in COVID-19 strains and the willingness of Minnesota people to remain vigilant against the disease.
The vaccination rate has slowed since the beginning of the month. Nearly 53 percent of all Minnesota 16-year-olds and over received at least one shot with more than 37 percent fully vaccinated.
The percentage of positive COVID-19 tests continues to decline after a recent increase. It is still above the 5% threshold that public health leaders consider worrying.
The rate of vaccination decreases as supplies run out
As of Wednesday, the State Department of Health data showed that more than 1.6 million Minnesota people have completed the full series of vaccines – two doses of Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or one dose of Johnson & Johnson vaccine – while more than 2.3 million received at least the dose, including nearly 86 percent of residents age 65 and older.
State efforts have recently been hampered by supply cuts, particularly in the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which federal authorities discontinued last week while investigating the possibility of rare side effects associated with the shooting.
The vaccination rate in Minnesota reached a maximum of 40,000 first doses a day last week. Now, it seems that the state is moving in half and may take a few weeks.
At about 27,000 first doses a day, the current rate, Minnesota is about to complete vaccination of 80% of adults in early June. This had been in the middle until the end of May.
Screenings by MPR News data reporter David Montgomery
Supply continues to exceed demand in some parts of the state.
On Tuesday, the Mayo Clinic, which has locations in southern Minnesota, called the media that it has too many seats. In a press release, Mayo said people who are not patients of the clinic could sign up for a vaccine with them, as well as people who do not live in Minnesota.
Elsewhere, local public health, with additional doses, is collaborating with schools to vaccinate adolescents over the age of 16. The data show that Minnesota, as a whole, is administering vaccines almost as fast as it enters.
Hospital, ICU needs plan at winter levels
Hospitalizations have risen significantly in recent weeks and are hovering at unprecedented levels since January. Health officials say coronavirus variants circulating in Minnesota are causing these increases.
Wednesday’s Department of Health report showed 676 people with COVID-19 in Minnesota hospitals; 193 needed an intensive care bed.
The age of the nine hospitalized tends to be younger than in the previous period of the pandemic. Most people in the hospital now for COVID-19 are under 60 years old.
Thirteen deaths reported Wednesday brought the total death toll from the Minnesota pandemic to 7,044. Of those who died, about 62% lived in long-term care or assisted living facilities; most had basic health problems.
The state has so far recorded 560,450 confirmed or probable cases in the pandemic, including 1,611 on Wednesday. About 95 percent of Minnesota pandemics known to be infected with COVID-19 have recovered to the point where they no longer need to be isolated.
At the regional level, all parts of Minnesota are in better shape than in late November and early December. The number of cases has crept across the state in recent weeks, but it seems to have peaked.
COVID-19 in Minnesota
The data in these charts is based on the cumulative total of the Minnesota Department of Health, released daily at 11 a.m. You can find more detailed statistics about COVID-19 at Department of Health website.
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