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State public health leaders are again imploring people to stay vigilant against COVID-19, saying they are increasingly concerned about Minnesotans easing back as the weather warms and the vaccination picture brightens.

Officials warn the highly contagious U.K. strain, now with a foothold in Minnesota, has the potential to spread throughout the state. There are now more than 300 confirmed cases of that variant.  

Hot spots of new cases are bubbling in the southwest Twin Cities suburbs, in southern Minnesota around Mankato and in northern Minnesota on the eastern end of the Iron Range. 

While the state’s made progress in vaccinations, especially among those age 65 and older, it hasn’t yet vaccinated enough people to establish a herd immunity, and there’s a danger of another surge.

“We are in a race between the variants and the vaccine, and the decisions we all make in the next few weeks will have a lot to say about the outcome of this race,” Kris Ehresmann, the state’s infectious disease director, told reporters Friday. “We need to be cautious a little while longer.”

Vaccination pace improves, but still flat

Saturday’s vaccination data showed some continued promise after several days of lackluster data earlier in the week.

The Health Department reported 61,260 more vaccinations, more than was reported the previous Saturday. The seven-day trend is now back above 41,000 shots daily. The trend’s been mostly flat to declining recently — though vaccine supplies are expected to jump soon. 

Case counts and hospitalizations, however, are starting to slowly rise again and new hot spots are bubbling, reinforcing the belief that Minnesota’s in a race now to vaccinate people quickly enough to avoid another statewide COVID-19 surge. 

 — about 14.7 percent of the state’s population — have completed their vaccinations, while more than 1.37 million — 24.7 percent — have received at least one dose, including more than 78 percent of people age 65 and older.

Tracking cases in Minnesota

From around the region

From MPR News

Analysis of COVID-19 data in Minnesota

Minnesota anticipates getting 350,000 doses the week of March 29, Gov. Tim Walz said Friday. Starting in April, officials also expect the feds to deliver 100,000 doses a week of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which requires only one dose. 

Active cases up; Carver Co., Iron Range hot spots

Minnesota’s COVID-19 numbers show disease conditions relatively stable compared to the late fall surge, but there are caution lights flashing. 

There has been a noticeable rise recently in the count of known, active cases — that’s the number of people who still need to self-isolate after a confirmed COVID-19 case. Saturday’s data shows 10,410 active cases, marking nine consecutive days with active counts above 8,000, a stretch not seen since late January. It’s also the first time since late January that active cases pushed above 10,000.

While current counts are still low compared to late November and early December, the increase is notable given the concerns about the rise of the U.K. COVID-19 strain. Ehresmann said her agency suspects the U.K. variant is driving the current upswing.

Hospitalizations are still low compared to the late-fall surge, but those counts are also creeping up: 316 people were hospitalized as of Wednesday, with 74 needing intensive care. 

Six newly reported deaths brought Minnesota’s collective toll to 6,777. Among those who’ve died, about 63 percent had been living in long-term care or assisted living facilities; most had underlying health problems. 

The state has recorded 504,273 total confirmed or probable cases so far in the pandemic, including 1,400 posted Friday. About 97 percent of Minnesotans known to be infected with COVID-19 in the pandemic have recovered to the point where they no longer need to be isolated.

Public health leaders continue to keep close watch on a Carver County area outbreak tied to the U.K. strain and to youth sports. 

The state is recommending young people across the state be tested every two weeks for COVID-19, with student athletes tested weekly; officials are also asking everyone in Carver County to get tested.

The Health Department on Thursday also warned of “dramatic increases” in COVID-19 cases in the eastern end of Minnesota’s Iron Range centered around the town of Aurora. It didn’t say how many cases but officials will open a free testing site in Aurora on Monday and Tuesday.

Ehresmann also mentioned a hot spot now in and around Mankato.

As of Friday, there were some 317 cases of the U.K. variant confirmed statewide, she added. Twelve people have been hospitalized statewide from that strain; two have died.

What to know about Minnesota's latest COVID dialback

Minnesota expands vaccine eligibility

People in their 20s still make up the age bracket with the state’s largest number of confirmed cases — more than 94,000 since the pandemic began, including more than 49,000 among those ages 20 to 24.

The number of high school-age youth confirmed with the disease has also grown, with nearly  40,000 total cases among those ages 15 to 19 since the pandemic began. 

With kids increasingly returning to school buildings and sports, Minnesota public health officials are urging Minnesota families with children to get tested every two weeks for COVID-19 now until the end of the school year.

Although young people are less likely to feel the worst effects of the disease and end up hospitalized, experts worry youth will spread it unknowingly to older relatives and members of other vulnerable populations. 

What you need to know about getting a vaccine in MN

Check your spot

Minnesota's restriction dial-back

People can have the coronavirus and spread COVID-19 when they don’t have symptoms. 

Regionally, all parts of Minnesota are in significantly better shape than they were in late November and early December. Some areas are seeing upticks in cases.

While officials monitor the recent uptick in active cases, overall trends have improved to the point where 

 a rollback of many of the state’s remaining pandemic restrictions. “Normalcy is on the horizon,” 

But it’s not quite there yet. On Wednesday, Walz said that he, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm were 

quarantining because of possible COVID-19 exposure

Here’s what to do

In Minnesota and across the country, COVID-19 has hit 

communities of color disproportionately hard

 in both cases and deaths. That’s been especially true for

Even as new case counts continue to track well below their late November, early December peaks, the data shows Latino people continue to be hit hard.

COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. by race, ethnicity

, together with deeply rooted health and economic disparities, have hampered efforts to boost testing among communities of color, officials say, especially among unauthorized immigrants who fear their personal information may be used to deport them.

Walz has acknowledged that distrust by communities of color has been a problem during the pandemic. Officials have offered up some data on 

vaccinations broken down by race and ethnicity

Malcolm has said the state is committed to doing more to expand vaccine access to people of color, including getting more doses to community pharmacies, partnering with local groups and deploying mobile vaccination clinics. 

Data in these graphs are based on the Minnesota Department of Health's cumulative totals released at 11 a.m. daily. You can find more detailed statistics on COVID-19 at the 

North Dakota to expand vaccination pool to general public this month

North Dakota health officials say that vaccinations for the coronavirus will be available to the general public beginning March 29.

The state says some regions of the state could move into the Phase 2 vaccination phase even sooner. Health care workers, long-term care residents and staff, and older adults were the first to be vaccinated.

The state’s Health Department said as of Friday, almost 195,000 people in North Dakota had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. There were 119 new cases of the coronavirus reported Friday, and one new death.

4 questions to help sort through the ethics of getting a COVID vaccine before you’re eligible: 

People are sometimes finding themselves in situations that might allow them to jump the line. What questions should you consider, according to an ethicist, if you find yourself in a similar circumstance?

Some MN businesses offer incentives for vaccinations:

 In an effort to speed up recovery from the pandemic, some Minnesota business owners are offering cash incentives for COVID-19 vaccinations. And they're not just going to employees — some are rewarding customers who get vaccinated, too.

Walz, Flanagan to quarantine after possible COVID exposure: 

The governor’s office says he tested negative on Monday but that he, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Minnesota Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm will quarantine through March 25 given the possible exposure.

Everything you need to know about getting COVID shots in MN

Tracking the vaccination progress in the U.S.

Full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic

Minnesota News

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COVID-19

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While the state’s made progress in vaccinations, it hasn’t yet vaccinated enough people to establish a herd immunity, and there’s a danger of another surge. Officials suspect the U.K. COVID-19 variant is kindling hot spots around the state.

Derek Montgomery for MPR News file

Newly reported COVID-19 vaccine doses in Minnesota

David H. Montgomery | MPR News

Graph projecting when most Minnesotans will get vaccinated

Active, confirmed COVID-19 cases in Minnesota

Graph of new ICU and non-ICU COVID-19 hospitalizations

New COVID-19 related deaths reported in Minnesota each day

Percent of COVID-19 tests to come back positive

New Minnesota COVID-19 cases by age, adjusted for population

March 20 update on COVID-19 in MN: 'A race between the variants and the vaccine'

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