Minnesota Marks Another Record-Setting Weekend for COVID-19 Vaccinations

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota reported over 2,000 virus cases in a single day on Saturday for the first time since January, while also reporting a daily record for vaccines administered.

Over the past two weeks, the rolling average number of daily new cases has increased nearly 58%, a worrying trend as Gov. Tim Walz pushes for widespread vaccinations. Health officials reported 2,075 new cases Saturday, but at the same time, over 85,000 vaccine doses. It was a new daily high.

About 40% of people eligible for a vaccine — adults 16 and over — have received at least one shot. But about 20% of the state’s entire population has been completely vaccinated.

The state will see a race to get millions of people vaccinated in the coming months while trying to stave off another wave of the virus. A variant of the virus from the United Kingdom has propelled infections to the ninth-highest in the nation.

Health officials also reported 11 deaths among people infected by the virus. The state has recorded a total of 6,875 deaths over the course of the pandemic.