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Minnesota’s most recent COVID-19 data shows the state’s vaccination rate continuing apace while caseloads and hospitalizations rise. Officials cautioned not to read too much into the most recent data given delays in reporting over the Easter weekend.

The Health Department on Monday reported about 69,000 more vaccinations, putting the seven-day trend at more than 54,000 shots daily. 

Even as they loosen rules to make it a bit easier for assisted living residents to 

get out for April celebrations, play cards and eat dinner together

, officials remain increasingly concerned over rising caseloads tied to the U.K. COVID-19 variant and to youth sports.

Monday’s report also showed the state’s positive test rate trending for a sixth day above 5 percent — a warning sign about a possible surge. 

 while more than 1.8 million have received at least one dose, including more than 82 percent of residents age 65 and older. Minnesota expects to see its federal vaccine supply shipments jump over the next few weeks.

Officials have described the current situation as race against time to vaccinate as many Minnesotans as possible before the COVID-19 variants can get a stronger foothold in the state.

They’ve confirmed nearly 1,000 cases in the state of the highly contagious U.K. strain in recent weeks and believe it’s responsible for the majority of the spread that happening now.

Separately on Monday, state and federal officials unveiled plans for a mass vaccination site at the state fairgrounds in St. Paul that will be able to vaccinate 100,000 Minnesotans over eight weeks. The site will prioritize underserved communities hit hardest by the pandemic.

Warning lights continue to flash around Minnesota’s COVID-19 disease metrics.

The number of known, active cases has been trending upward over the past few weeks, with 16,053 active cases as of Monday’s report — marking 17 consecutive days with active counts above 10,000, a stretch not seen since January.

Minnesota making all adults eligible for vaccine

Find a COVID-19 vaccine in Minnesota

While still low compared to late November and early December, the rising trend is notable given the worries over the rise of the U.K. COVID-19 strain, which state health officials suspect is driving the current upswing.

Hospitalizations counts are also moving higher. Agency data showed 448 people with COVID-19 in Minnesota hospitals; 110 needed intensive care. Daily admissions to hospitals because of COVID-19 are trending at their highest levels since late January.

Tracking cases in Minnesota

From MPR News

Analysis of COVID-19 data in Minnesota

Ten deaths reported on Monday raised Minnesota’s overall pandemic death toll to 6,885. Among those who’ve died, about 62 percent had been living in long-term care or assisted living facilities; most had underlying health problems. 

The state has recorded 527,650 total confirmed or probable cases so far in the pandemic, including 1,385 posted Monday. About 96 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.

What to know about Minnesota's latest COVID dial-back

Regionally, all parts of Minnesota are in better shape than they were in late November and early December. The latest numbers, however, show cases are up in almost every region of the state.

Public health leaders continue to keep watch on clusters in the southwest Twin Cities metro area as well as Mankato in southern Minnesota and around Aurora and Ely in the northeast. Central Minnesota is also seeing a rise in positive COVID-19 cases.

Here’s what to do

People in their 20s still make up the age bracket with the state’s largest number of confirmed cases — more than 98,000 since the pandemic began, including more than 51,000 among those ages 20 to 24.

The number of high school-age youth confirmed with the disease has also grown, with more than 41,000 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 they will spread it unknowingly to older relatives and members of other vulnerable populations. Those with the coronavirus can spread it when they don’t have symptoms. 

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.

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

vaccinations broken down by race and ethnicity

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 

These things should not prevent you from getting a COVID vaccine:

 Vaccinations for the coronavirus are supposed to be free and available to all Americans regardless of insurance or immigration status. For some, that isn’t how it has been playing out. Here are common false barriers to look out for.

Study shows COVID-19 vaccine is safe during pregnancy and may protect baby, too: 

Not only does the new research show the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are effective at protecting pregnant people, it also found that antibodies were present in umbilical cord blood and breast milk.

A 4th COVID-19 surge may be starting. How bad could it get?: 

After more than two months of steep declines, coronavirus infections are on the rise again nationally — along with COVID-19 hospitalizations in many states. Experts say the pandemic’s trajectory depends on how Americans behave in the next several weeks and how quickly vaccines get in arms.

Lawsuit over Minnesota correction's handling of COVID-19 will proceed: 

A Ramsey County judge has ruled a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota can proceed against the Minnesota Department of Corrections over its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. The lawsuit alleges that just one-fifth of Minnesota’s approximately 7,600 inmates have been fully vaccinated. 

How to get a COVID-19 vaccine in Minnesota

Tracking the vaccination progress in the U.S.

Full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic

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Minnesota’s most recent COVID-19 data shows the state’s vaccination rate continuing apace while caseloads and hospitalizations rise. Officials, though, cautioned not to read too much into the most recent data given delays in reporting over the Easter weekend.

April 5 update on COVID-19 in MN: Vaccination pace stable; hospitalizations up

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