New COVID-19 Cases in Minnesota, St. Cloud Begin to Creep Up

(KNSI) – After weeks of relatively low COVID-19 cases in Minnesota, new infections are starting to rise.

In recent weeks, the state has confirmed roughly 100 new COVID cases each day, but in the last seven days, that average is closer to 175 new cases per day.

The Minnesota Department of Health confirms 1,248 new COVID cases and 13 COVID deaths in the past week. Those counts include 102 new cases across Benton, Morrison, Sherburne, Stearns and Wright counties and one new death: a Stearns County resident who was in their 60s.

The current test positivity rate is 1.6 percent.

So far, more than 3.1 million Minnesotans have gotten vaccinated against COVID-19. This includes more than 90 percent of people age 65 and older and almost 40 percent of youth ages 12 to 15, the most recent age group given the green light to receive the Pfizer vaccine.

Percent of Minnesotans of all ages who have received at least one COVID-19 vaccination