The Minnesota Department of Health reported 862 new cases of COVID-19 today and four new COVID-related deaths, bringing the state’s totals to 73,240 cases and 1,810 deaths.
Of those deaths, 1,333 were residents of long-term care or assisted living facilities. Of those cases, 8,088 were health care workers.
To date, over 1.443 million tests have been completed and over 1.101 million people have been tested. Yesterday, over 16,000 tests were completed.
MDH reported yesterday that Valley Medical delayed processing 19,000 tests, resulting in a two-week backlog that included over 250 patients not being notified of their COVID-19 positive tests. Read more of the statement in yesterday’s update.
As of today, 65,204 COVID patients have been released from isolation.
COVID ICU hospitalizations dropped slightly today, at 137 from 139, with 164 others hospitalized in non-critical settings.
Minnesotans in their early 20s continue to be the highest COVID-infected age cohort, with MDH’s graph showing 20-24 year-olds having 9,508 cases with one death, overall. The second highest were 25-29 year-olds, with 7,430 cases and seven deaths, overall.
MDH reported two new COVID-19 cases in Beltrami County today, bringing the county’s cumulative case total to 313 with one death; one new case in Cass County, bringing their total to 99 with three deaths; four new cases in Itasca County, total of 185 cases and 12 deaths; and six new cases in Roseau County, total of 69 cases.
State officials updated the data for K-12 schools 14-day COVID-19 case rate by county yesterday.
Beltrami’s new case rate per 10,000 people was 18.43 for the two-week period ending Aug. 8, and for the two week period ending Aug. 15, the rate dropped to 11.06.
A decreased rate was also seen in Cass County, from 9.3 to 6.2; in Hubbard County, from 5.27 to 2.88; in Itasca County, from 5.09 to 3.98; and in Koochiching County, from 15.03 to 7.91.
Counties that saw a case rate increase include Clearwater County, from a 0 new case rate to 1.13; Lake of the Woods, from 7.88 to 15.75; in Mahnomen County, from 7.26 to 12.71; and in Roseau County, from 5.82 to 6.47.
Guidance from the state for safe learning recommends in-person learning for all students in counties with a case rate of less than 10; in-person elementary and hybrid secondary in counties with case rates between 10 and less than 20; and all grades in a hybrid model in counties with rates from 20 to less than 30.
Congregate care facilities in our area identified as COVID-exposed this week include:
- GoldPine Home, Beltrami County
- Havenwood Care Center, Beltrami County
- Good Samaritan Society Pine River, Cass County
- Grand Village, Itasca County
- Hillcrest Nashwauk, Itasca County
- Mahnomen Health Center, Mahnomen County
MDH removes facilities from their list, updated each Friday, if they have not reported a new COVID exposure for a minimum of 28 days. A COVID-exposed facility is defined when a person who works, visits or lives in a congregate care facility has tested positive for COVID-19.
