COVID-19 In MN: Nearly 800 Patients With The Virus Need Hospitalization
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- While federal health officials discuss COVID-19 vaccine booster shot advisability, health officials in Minnesota on Wednesday reported 1,642 additional virus cases and 14 more deaths.
The update from the Minnesota Department of Health puts the total reported cases at 692,029 and deaths attributed to the virus at 8,025 since the pandemic began.
Surging cases due to the Delta variant have been accompanied by rising hospitalizations. As of Tuesday, there are 214 patients with the virus requiring intensive care unit beds, with an additional 580 patients needing non-ICU beds. That's compared to less than 100 total COVID patients seen in mid-July.
The latest positivity rate, a seven-day rolling average, is at 6.8% as of Sept. 14, due to data lag. The state was seeing a positivity rate at 7.1% earlier in September.
Vaccinations continue with 147,319 administered so far in September. Overall in Minnesota, nearly 70% of those 16 years of age and up have been fully inoculated, including 91% of seniors.
