MN COVID-19 Breaking News: Death Toll Approaches 4,000

Minnesota health officials reported another 64 deaths from COVID-19 on Sunday, bringing the state’s overall death toll from the pandemic to nearly 4,000.

The state has also recorded 5,588 other cases of COVID, pushing the total number beyond 350,000.

On average over the past week, the number of new cases each day in Minnesota has declined in recent days – as has the number of reported test results, meaning the test positivity rate has remained fairly stable at just under 12%.

State officials have long said 5% test positivity is of concern.

The average number of deaths per day over the past week is 58. Thirty-eight of the 64 deaths reported Sunday were residents of long-term care facilities.

Officials continue to prepare for another expected wave of cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the coming weeks due to the Thanksgiving rallies.

Here is the current from Minnesota COVID-19 Statistics:

• 3,984 deaths (64 new)

• 350,862 positive cases (5,588 new); 308,218 excluding isolation

• 4.6 million tests, 2.6 million people tested (around 46% of the population)

• 11.8% seven-day positive test rate (officials find 5% or more concerning)

New hospital admissions continue to decline from Tuesday’s record seven-day average, but hospitalization levels remain high. Nearly 1,700 people were in hospitals with COVID-19 on Thursday; more than 350 required intensive care.

The seven-day average for daily hospital admissions was around 227 Sunday – down from 286 last Tuesday, but still up from 153 a month ago.

The number of active COVID-19 cases in Minnesota fell below 40,000 on Sunday for the first time since November 12.

The number of cases distributed among age groups

People in their 20s are still the age group with the highest number of confirmed cases in the state – more than 67,500 since the start of the pandemic, including more than 36,000 among people aged 20 to 24 .

The number of school-aged children confirmed with the disease has also increased, with more than 27,000 total cases among children aged 15 to 19 since the start of the pandemic.

Although less likely to feel the worst effects of the disease and end up in hospital, experts fear that young people and young adults could pass it on to grandparents and other vulnerable populations.

This is of particular concern because people can have the coronavirus and spread COVID-19 when they don’t have symptoms.

Gov. Tim Walz recently said the state has data showing infection rates are increasing around bar and restaurant activity after 9 p.m. among young adults, noting that people who have the virus but who have no symptoms can spread it unintentionally.

This is one of the reasons he ordered a ban on in-person service in bars and restaurants until December 18.

Virus bursts into rural Minnesota

Regionally, central and northern Minnesota has been responsible for much of the recent increase in new cases, while Hennepin and Ramsey counties have one of the slowest case growths of State.

After peaking in confirmed cases through much of November, all parts of the state have seen the number of new cases level off or start to decline in recent days.

Collectively, rural areas continue to report the highest number of new COVID-19 cases per capita.

Deaths continue to be highest in greater Minnesota, with per capita death rates in the western part of the state four to five times higher than in the metropolitan Twin Cities area.

Latino cases are climbing

In Minnesota and across the country, COVID-19 has disproportionately hit communities of color in both cases and deaths. This has been especially true for Minnesotans of Hispanic descent during much of the pandemic.

Distrust of the government, as well as deep-rooted health and economic disparities, have hampered efforts to step up testing among communities of color, officials say, especially among unauthorized immigrants who fear their information. personal data are not used to expel them.

Similar trends were seen among native residents of Minnesota. Counts among Aboriginal people jumped in October relative to the population.

1 in 3 recent deaths from COVID

Daily counts of COVID-19 deaths in Minnesota have been particularly difficult to manage over the past two months. More than 1,100 people died in November alone, about 30% of the pandemic’s total.

It is now killing Minnesotans at a much higher rate than any recent flu season. About a third of all recent deaths in Minnesota are linked to COVID-19.

In recent years, respiratory illness has been a major factor in about 5 to 10 percent of all deaths in Minnesota, depending on the time of year.

They accounted for about 20% of deaths in the state’s May COVID-19 wave. Today, it’s even higher: Nearly 40% of all deaths in Minnesota in recent weeks have been attributed to a respiratory illness such as COVID-19, influenza or pneumonia.

Officials continue to advocate with Minnesotans to wear masks in public gathering spaces, to get away socially, to stay home if they are not feeling well, and to remain vigilant against the spread of COVID-19.

Walz recently said he would likely call on the Minnesotans not to travel or gather for Christmas, adding that there was “little reason” to expect a change in the trajectory of the virus in the four next weeks.

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Developments around the State

Mayo Clinic Suspends Some Southern MN Clinic Operations Amid COVID

The Mayo Clinic Health System has said it has temporarily suspended operations at its Belle Plaine clinic and will temporarily suspend operations at the Mankato-Northridge, Le Sueur, Janesville and Waterville clinics effective December 7.

The reason: The continuing outbreak of hospital patients with COVID-19.

“Suspensions are needed to reassign staff to other critical care needs in response to the COVID-19 outbreak,” the organization said.

The closures are expected to last six weeks. COVID-19 tests are still underway at the Belle Plaine clinic.

– The MPR News team

Need housing assistance? The deadline is approaching

Time is running out for cash-strapped Minnesotans to apply for housing assistance made available during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This summer, the Walz administration allocated $ 100 million in federal assistance to a housing program to help those in financial difficulty pay their mortgages, rent and utilities. As of this week, there is around $ 30 million left, but there is a deadline on Monday to apply.

“We have room for another big push here to pay off the December bills,” said Minnesota Housing Commissioner Jennifer Ho, who noted that the grant money had gone further than expected, but added that they knew help was still needed.

Albert Lea’s Katrina Hull said this help was essential as she was out of work due to the coronavirus fallout and had to take care of an elderly family member.

“Rent was still owed, utilities were still owed, and I was in a pretty tough spot,” Hull said.

Information about the program can be found by dialing 211 or going to 211unitedway.org.

– Brian Bakst | MPR News

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Main titles

COVID relief plan hanging on $ 500 payment to families: As Minnesota lawmakers work on a plan to provide relief to businesses and workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a plan to provide struggling families with a one-time payment of $ 500 has become a stone. stumbling block.

Deadline is approaching for Minnesotans to apply for COVID-19 housing assistance: Minnesota residents who have fallen behind on their rent, mortgage or utility payments amid the coronavirus pandemic should apply for state aid before Monday night’s impending deadline, the governor urged Thursday Tim Walz and other officials.

COVID-19 claims the life of American Hmong leader and secret war veteran: Tou-Fu Vang, a leader of the Hmong community and a former lieutenant colonel in the Secret War, died on Thanksgiving Day after several weeks in hospital fighting COVID-19.

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COVID-19 in Minnesota

The data in these charts is based on cumulative totals from the Minnesota Department of Health released at 11 a.m. daily. You can find more detailed statistics on COVID-19 at Department of Health website.