COVID In Minnesota: As State Reaches 2 Million With First Vaccine Dose, MDH Reports 1,784 Cases, 13 Deaths Sunday
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- As state health officials warn that Minnesota is staring down another COVID-19 surge, the latest reported figures show 1,784 new cases and 13 additional deaths from the virus.
The Minnesota Department of Health's Sunday update puts Minnesota's total case count at 542,053. Since the start of the pandemic, 6,957 Minnesotans have died from COVID-19.
Since last March, 28,229 people have been hospitalized, with 5,781 of those needing intensive care. More than 516,427 cases no longer require isolation.
In the last 24 hours, the state processed 34,582 tests. More than 3.8 million Minnesotans have been tested since the pandemic began.
More than 2 million people in the state have received at least one vaccine dose, while 1,386,766 have been administered the full sequence. More than 31% of eligible Minnesotans now have the completed series.
"Getting vaccinated will allow us to get back to the people we love and the things we have missed — and put an end to this pandemic," Gov. Tim Walz said in a release about crossing the 2 million first doses mark. "I am so grateful that 2 million Minnesotans have rolled up their sleeves, taken their shot, and put us on the path back to normalcy."
On Saturday, the health department reported Minnesota has the fourth-most new cases per capita in the country over the last seven days. MDH spokesperson Doug Schultz says more than half of Minnesota's positive cases are the B117 variant strain first identified in the UK. The variant is more difficult to contain.
