Here is Minnesota's COVID-19 update for Friday, Jan. 29

The latest figures from MDH.

Author:

Adam Uren

Friday's COVID update from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) includes 1,114 new cases and 28 new deaths.

The newly reported deaths bring the state's total to 6,168 over the course of the pandemic. Of those deaths, 63.4% (3,911) were residents of long-term care, including 11 of the 28 reported Friday

The new deaths included two people aged 45-49 in Anoka and Hennepin County.

Through Jan. 27, the state reported that 345,636 people have received at least 1 dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine – an increase of more than 25,000 on the day before – while 96,842 people have completed both doses of vaccine that are required for the vaccines' full effect – an increase of more than 11,500.

MDH has a public dashboard to track vaccine progress in Minnesota, and you can view it here.

Two new variants of the coronavirus have been confirmed in Minnesota, including the first known case of the Brazil P.1 variant in the United States. That case involves a Minnesotan who recently traveled to Brazil. There are 8 confirmed cases of the B.1.1.7 variant. Both new strains are believed to be more transmissible.

Hospitalizations

Through Jan. 28. the number of people with COVID-19 hospitalized in Minnesota was 450. Of those hospitalized, 95 were in intensive care, and 355 were receiving non-ICU treatment.

Statewide, there were 166 staffed ICU beds available. During the November surge the state had fewer than 100 staffed ICU beds available. The number of available beds is dependent on the number of available staff, so the totals are constantly changing.

Testing and positivity rates

The 1,114 positive results in Friday's update were from a total of 44,777 completed tests, creating a daily test positivity rate of 2.48%.

According to Johns Hopkins University, Minnesota's test positivity rate over the past seven days is 4.08%, making it one of the lowest rates in the country.

The World Health Organization recommends that a percent positive rate (total positives divided by total completed tests) of below 5% for at least two weeks is necessary to safely reopen the economy.That 5% threshold is based on total positives divided by total tests.

Coronavirus in Minnesota by the numbers

Total tests: 6,513,797 (up from 6,467,868)
People tested: 3,244,005 (up from 3,233,070)
People with at least 1 vaccine shot: 345,636 as of Jan. 27 (up from 320,347)
Positive cases: 459,747 (up from 458,633)
Deaths: 6,168 – 247 of which are "probable*" (up from 6,140)
Patients no longer requiring isolation: 443,253 (up from 442,600)

* Probable deaths are patients who died after testing positive using the COVID-19 antigen test, which is thought to be less accurate than the more common PCR test.