One Local Death Among 13 Newly Reported Fatalities from COVID-19 Statewide Tuesday

(KNSI) – Thirteen more Minnesotans have died from COVID-19, according to today’s report from the Minnesota Department of Health. This includes one Wright County resident who was between the ages of 85 and 89.

The state adds 1,335 new cases of COVID-19. Out of more than 29,000 tests processed Monday, 4.6 percent were positive.

The five-county area adds 94 new cases: Benton County 9, Morrison County 3, Sherburne County 19, Stearns County 32 and Wright County 31.

As cases continue a downward trend, so do hospitalizations. Currently, 692 people are hospitalized for COVID-19 across the state, with 135 of them receiving intensive care.

Though hospitalizations are improving, COVID-19 patients still make up a significant amount of hospital admissions locally. In the latest data analysis by the University of Minnesota Hospitalization Tracking Project, in the week of January 1st through the 7th, 18.6 percent of Sherburne County’s hospital beds were in use by COVID-19 patients. Nearly one-third of ICU beds in Stearns County were occupied by COVID-19 patients in that same week, though COVID-19 patients overall only accounted for 7 percent of the county’s total available hospital beds.

A good number to see on the rise is vaccinations. With data current as of January 9th, MDH says 144,503 Minnesotans have gotten their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Of that group, 7,392 have received their second dose in the series. This means 2.6 percent of the state’s population has started their COVID-19 vaccine series.

So far, the state has used 35.6 percent of its allocated Pfizer and Moderna vaccine doses. Most doses administered so far — 74 percent — have been Pfizer’s vaccine, and the majority of these vaccinations have been delivered through a hospital setting.

Across the five-county area, 8,645 people have gotten their first COVID-19 shots. They account for 1.9 percent of the area’s population.