St. Cloud Area Confirms 50 New COVID-19 Cases, One Death Friday

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(KNSI) – Minnesota confirms 1,001 new COVID-19 cases and eight deaths on Friday. The death count includes one person from Stearns County in their 70s.

The five-county area adds 50 new cases: three in Benton County, four in Morrison County, eight in Sherburne County, 13 in Stearns County and 22 in Wright County.

More than 45,000 tests were processed statewide on Thursday, and only 2.2 percent of those tests came back positive.

Currently, there are 282 people in Minnesota hospitals receiving treatment for COVID-19, including 59 patients in intensive care.

Calling Friday a “milestone day,” the Minnesota Department of Health says healthcare facilities across the state have now administered one million COVID-19 vaccines.

The state reported 1,016,210 doses had been administered as of Friday’s official report. In all, 728,081 Minnesotans had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 286,543 had completed the two-dose series.

The news comes after the state had to cancel vaccination appointments for some patients due to interruptions in the supply line from nasty winter weather down south.

The local breakdown for vaccination data shows 4,003 people with at least one dose and 1,921 with the completed series in Benton. Morrison is showing 4,328 people with at least one vaccine dose and 1,599 with both. In Sherburne, 7,221 people have had at least one vaccine dose, and 2,740 people have had both. Stearns is reporting 22,623 people with at least one dose and 11,698 with the completed series. In Wright, at least 13,139 people have had one vaccine dose, and 4,954 have had both.

Statewide data shows the highest vaccination rates are those over the age of 65, with 337,829 people 65+ who have gotten at least one dose of the vaccine. The next highest rate is those aged 18 to 49; there are 245,456 in that age group who have gotten at least one dose.

The state came under some fire for vaccinating people in the younger age groups while older and potentially more vulnerable people were kept waiting. The Minnesota Department of Health defended itself by saying that priority group 1A included frontline healthcare workers and staff at long-term care or assisted living facilities, who tend to be younger.

Jennifer Lewerenz contributed to this report.