COVID In Minnesota: Amid Holiday Rush For Tests, MDH Reports 2,807 New Cases, 57 Deaths
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- As Minnesotans rush to get tested before gathering for the holidays, state health officials reported 2,807 new COVID-19 cases and 57 more deaths Wednesday.
One of the dead was an Anoka County resident in their late 30s.
The latest figures from the Minnesota Department of Health bring the total case count to 992,851, which includes 12,451 reinfections. So far, 10,254 deaths have been attributed to the virus.
The state's positivity rate is now at 9%, which continues a downward trend after it spiked earlier this month. The average daily new cases per 100,000 residents was last reported at 54.2. That figure is also trending downward, though still well above the line for high risk (10).
As of Monday, COVID-19 patients were occupying 355 intensive care unit beds in the state, along with 1,115 non-ICU beds.
On the vaccination front, 71.5% of the state's 5 and older population has received at least one dose. The state has administered 8.5 million doses total, including nearly 1.6 million boosters.
On Tuesday, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced he, his wife and his son had all tested positive. All are vaccinated, and Walz and his wife are boosted. He and his wife had no symptoms and his son's symptoms were mild, Walz said.
Meanwhile, some state testing sites are sporting long lines as people seek a negative result before holiday gatherings. At-home rapid tests are scarce on some store shelves, too.
