US Marine Corps Photo by Lance Cpl. Scott Jenkins via Flickr
Seventy-five deaths were added to the COVID-19 death toll in Minnesota, as well as more than 1,500 new cases, according to the state health department’s Wednesday report.
December has seen 1,378, which is the highest of any month in Minnesota during the pandemic. There were less than 500 deaths in October, before the death toll in November soared to 1,136. Since the first death was reported on March 21, Minnesota has reported a total of 4,971 fatal cases.
Deaths in long-term care account for 64.8% (3,220) of the total, including 45 of the 75 reported on Tuesday.
In addition to the deaths, Minnesota’s COVID-19 numbers are declining. For a perspective, consider that in mid-November Minnesota was reporting more than 50,000 active cases. There are already 23,007 active cases, according to the health department.
Hospitalizations
As of December 21, the number of people with COVID-19 hospitalized in Minnesota was 1,060. That’s an increase of 1,040 on Monday and significantly less than the high of 1,840 on November 30.
Of those hospitalized, 228 were in intensive care and 832 were being treated outside the ICU. An update on Wednesday has not yet been provided.
Test rates and positivity
The 1,513 positive results in Wednesday’s update were a total of 23,563 completed tests, creating a daily test positivity rate of 6.42%.
The World Health Organization recommended in May that a percentage rate of positivity (total positives divided by the total of completed tests) of less than 5% for at least two weeks is necessary to reopen the economy safely. This limit of 5% is based on the total of positives divided by the total of tests.
Coronavirus in Minnesota in numbers
- Total tests: 5,287,998 (over 5,264,561)
- People tested: 2,889,650 (out of 2,881,770)
- Positive cases: 402,519 (over 401,011)
- Deaths: 4,971 – 137 of which are “probable *” (over 4,896)
- Active cases: 23,007 (below 24,657)
- Patients who no longer need isolation: 379,512 (over 376,354)