MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Minnesota health officials on Tuesday reported 988 additional COVID-19 cases as testing slows during the holidays. Thirty-six more deaths were also reported. Meanwhile, the state has released data on vaccinations for the first time.
According to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), about 7,700 COVID-19 tests were processed in the last 24 hours, compared to testing that averaged over 30,000 a day in recent weeks. COVID-19 testing was closed for both Christmas Eve and Christmas, but many testing sites were also closed on Dec. 23 due to blizzard conditions.
Even so, daily cases in the state have been falling in Minnesota recently. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that Minnesota has one of the lowest seven-day averages for case positivity in the country.
RELATED: COVID In MN: Cases Falling Just Weeks After State Was Hotspot
VACCINATION DATA
MDH began releasing vaccine data Tuesday, and says it will continue to do so daily at 11 a.m.
According to the data, 38,014 vaccine doses have been administered so far in Minnesota. Most of the vaccines were from Pfizer, which was the first company to get approval for their vaccine. Moderna vaccinations accounted for 576 of the doses given.
Forty-one of the vaccinations are labeled as “unknown/missing vaccine type.”
A majority of the people vaccinated so far are between the age of 18 and 49 (25,362) and female (25,714).
The vaccinations have been administered mostly at hospitals (37,156). That’s followed by tribal health sites (482), local public health (254) and pharmacies (122).
“Currently, the amount of COVID-19 vaccine in Minnesota is limited. Right now, health care workers and people who live in long-term care facilities are being prioritized for the vaccine,” MDH said.
More COVID-19 vaccination data is available here.
MORE COVID UPDATES
The state has now recorded 411,110 cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began, with 393,506 of those who contracted the virus no longer needing to isolate themselves. Over 31,000 cases have been discovered among health care workers.
The state’s COVID-19 death toll is now at 5,196, with long-term care and assisted living residents making up about 65% of the deceased. About 21,600 people have needed treatment for the virus in Minnesota hospitals. Twenty-one percent of those who were hospitalized have needed intensive care units.
MORE: MDH Information On Hospital Capacity
About 2.9 million people have been tested for the virus so far. Vaccinations began for high-priority individuals earlier this month.
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Source: CBS Minnesota
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