Nearly 40% of Minnesota has a "high" level of community transmission of COVID-19 — the worst possible categorization used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Thirty-four counties now fall into the "high" transmission category, according to the latest data Wednesday afternoon from the CDC. That includes Hennepin and Anoka counties in the Twin Cities metro. Six days ago, just 14 counties had what the agency considers "high" levels of community transmission.
Meanwhile, an additional 37 counties have "substantial" levels of transmission.
The CDC's community transmission map as of Aug. 11, 2021.
That means in these 71 counties, the CDC recommends every individual wear a mask while in public indoor settings, regardless of whether or not they have been vaccinated. Sixty-four Minnesota counties were across this threshold one week ago.
Related: Number of MN counties with a 70% vaccination rate hasn't budged in weeks
Just one Minnesota county, Pipestone, has low transmission. The remaining 15 have moderate transmission.
The goal of the CDC's mask guidance in these hotspots is to slow the spread of the delta variant. While officials say the existing COVID-19 vaccines are effective at preventing people from getting seriously ill or dying due to the delta variant, data indicates vaccinated individuals can still spread the virus to others, endangering those who are not (or cannot be) vaccinated.
Related: MN's breakthrough infection statistics, including hospitalizations, deaths
Here are the Minnesota counties with high transmission, in alphabetical order:
- Anoka County
- Beltrami County
- Chisago County
- Clearwater County
- Dodge County
- Fillmore County
- Freeborn County
- Hennepin County
- Houston County
- Hubbard County
- Itasca County
- Jackson County
- Kanabec County
- Kandiyohi County
- Le Sueur County
- Lincoln County
- Marshall County
- McLeod County
- Meeker County
- Mower County
- Nobles County
- Norman County
- Olmsted County
- Otter Tail County
- Pine County
- Pope County
- Rice County
- Rock County
- Sibley County
- Stearns County
- Steele County
- Traverse County
- Waseca County
- Watonwan County
And here are the counties with substantial transmission:
- Aitkin County
- Becker County
- Benton County
- Blue Earth County
- Carlton County
- Carver County
- Cass County
- Cottonwood County
- Crow Wing County
- Dakota County
- Douglas County
- Faribault County
- Goodhue County
- Isanti County
- Kittson County
- Lyon County
- Martin County
- Mille Lacs County
- Morrison County
- Murray County
- Nicollet County
- Pennington County
- Polk County
- Ramsey County
- Redwood County
- Roseau County
- Scott County
- Sherburne County
- St. Louis County
- Stevens County
- Todd County
- Wabasha County
- Wadena County
- Washington County
- Wilkin County
- Winona County
- Wright County
The classifications are based on one of two variables: Total new cases per 100,000 persons in the past seven days, and percentage of positive tests during the past seven days.
