Coronavirus In Minnesota: Another Day Of 1,000+ Newly-Reported Cases, With 4 More Deaths
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Saturday marked another day with more than 1,000 new cases of COVID-19 reported by the state health department, with 1,032 added to the state's current total of 74,257. There have also been four more reported deaths.
Thursday's daily update on the number of COVID-19 cases in Minnesota represented the largest single-day increase in new cases to date, which was partly due to a backlog in test results connected with a particular lab.
This last week also saw the first instance of two straight days of double-digit deaths since mid-June.
As of Saturday, the state's death toll is now at 1,814. The bulk of those deaths have come from cases at long-term care facilities, where 1,337 have died.
Hospitalization figures are continuing to hold relatively steady. On Friday, 313 were listed as currently being treated for the novel coronavirus. The number of patients needing intensive care units was at 134.
In the last 24 hours, more than 17,000 COVID-19 tests have been completed. More than 1.46 million tests have been completed in the state so far, with more than 1.11 million Minnesotans having been tested at some point since the start of the pandemic.
MORE: MDH's Situation Update For COVID-19
More than 66,000 people who contracted COVID-19 no longer need to self-isolate.
According to the state's Dial Back Dashboard, the state's positivity rate is at about 5% as of Aug. 5, accounting for the delay in data. If the rate were to soar to 15% or climb 5% over 14 days, health officials would consider tightening COVID-19 restrictions.
