83 of Minnesota's 87 counties now have high or substantial COVID-19 transmission

Just over three weeks ago, when federal health officials recommended everyone in COVID hotspots wear a mask while in public indoor spaces, just 14 Minnesota counties reached that face-covering threshold.

That number is now up to 83.

All but four of the state's 87 counties have what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers "substantial" or "high" transmission, according to Friday morning's data. Under CDC guidance, every person — whether vaccinated or not — should wear a face covering while in public, indoor spaces in these areas. 

Related: The MN businesses, organizations and events that now require or recommend a face mask

What's more, the vast majority of these counties have the most severe "high" level of transmission. (That's the red in the map to the right.)

The continued increases in COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations and positivity rate have prompted many governmental units, businesses, schools and venues to reimplement mask mandates or add new vaccination requirements. On Friday, the state said it had recorded 1,708 new cases and 10 newly reported deaths, with a positivity rate of 5.57%.

The four Minnesota counties with only "moderate" transmission are: Big Stone, Kittson, Koochiching and Red Lake. Below you'll find lists of counties with high and substantial transmission, organized alphabetically.

High transmission (65 counties)

1. Aitkin County
2. Anoka County
3. Beltrami County
4. Benton County
5. Blue Earth County
6. Brown County
7. Carlton County
8. Carver County
9. Cass County
10. Chippewa County
11. Chisago County
12. Clearwater County
13. Crow Wing County
14. Dakota County
15. Dodge County
16. Douglas County
17. Faribault County
18. Fillmore County
19. Freeborn County
20. Goodhue County
21. Grant County
22. Hennepin County
23. Houston County
24. Hubbard County
25. Isanti County
26. Itasca County
27. Jackson County
28. Kandiyohi County
29. Lac qui Parle County
30. Le Sueur County
31. Lyon County
32. Marshall County
33. Martin County
34. McLeod County
35. Meeker County
36. Mille Lacs County
37. Morrison County
38. Mower County
39. Murray County
40. Nicollet County
41. Nobles County
42. Olmsted County
43. Otter Tail County
44. Pennington County
45. Pine County
46. Pope County
47. Ramsey County
48. Rice County
49. Rock County
50. Scott County
51. Sherburne County
52. Sibley County
53. Stearns County
54. Steele County
55. Stevens County
56. Swift County
57. Todd County
58. Wabasha County
59. Wadena County
60. Waseca County
61. Washington County
62. Watonwan County
63. Winona County
64. Wright County
65. Yellow Medicine County

Substantial transmission (18 counties)

1. Becker County
2. Clay County
3. Cook County
4. Cottonwood County
5. Kanabec County
6. Lake County
7. Lake of the Woods County
8. Lincoln County
9. Mahnomen County
10. Norman County
11. Pipestone County
12. Polk County
13. Redwood County
14. Renville County
15. Roseau County
16. St. Louis County
17. Traverse County
18. Wilkin County