Minnesota's COVID-19 update for Thursday, February 24

Thursday's COVID-19 update from the Minnesota Department of Health includes 1,075 newly reported cases and 47 newly reported deaths. The state's COVID-19 death toll is now 12,066.

Today's update includes case data that was reported in a 24-hour period ending at 4 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 23.

Minnesota's test positivity rate on a 7-day rolling average (through Feb. 16) was 7.2%, having been as high as 23.7% on Jan. 21. Anything over 10% puts Minnesota in the high-risk threshold for community transmission of the coronavirus.

Hospitalizations

Through Feb. 21, the number of people with COVID-19 hospitalized in Minnesota was 601 – down from the 622 reported on Feb. 22. Of those hospitalized, 93 people are in intensive care (down from 98) and 508 are in non-ICU care (down from 524).

The situation has improved dramatically from November, December and the first half of January, when it was common to see single digit ICU bed availability for adults and children everywhere in Minnesota, in addition to hundreds of patients waiting in emergency departments for beds to open so they could receive a higher level of care.

Vaccine, booster stats

As of Feb. 23, the state reported that 3,875,853 people have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, while 3,651,147 people have completed the vaccine series. The state has administered 2,135,573 third doses/booster shots.

The percentage of Minnesota's population with at least one shot, based on age group:

• 5-11: 40%
• 12-15: 65%
• 16-17: 68%
• 18-49: 72%
• 50-64: 80%
• 65+: 97%
• Total population: 69.7%

The percentage of Minnesota's population that have completed the vaccine series, based on age group:

• 5-11: 35%
• 12-15: 61%
• 16-17: 64%
• 18-49: 67%
• 50-64: 78%
• 65+: 93%
• Total population: 65.6%

Coronavirus in Minnesota by the numbers

• Total tests: 18,700,640 (up from 18,672,599)
• People with at least 1 vaccine shot: 3,875,853 (up from 3,874,825)
• People who have completed vaccine series: 3,651,147 (no change 3,641,904)
• People who have had a booster/3rd shot: 2,135,573 (up from 2,132,849)
• Positive cases: 1,411,593 (up from 1,410,583)
• Reinfection cases: 60,856 (up from 57,951 )
• Deaths: 12,066 – 180 of which are *non-laboratory confirmed* (up from 12,019)
• Patients no longer requiring isolation: 1,389,641 (up from 1,388,795)

* Non-laboratory confirmed deaths are patients have COVID-19 listed on the death certificate, but no documented positive laboratory test for SARS-CoV-2.