Cooler but still well above normal this week

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

Minnesota’s average daily COVID-19 case counts have been plummeting in recent days — and so has the state’s COVID-19 vaccination pace.

As of Sunday’s update from state health officials, the seven-day rolling average of new cases each day fell below 400 — the lowest level seen in the state in more than 11 months. The average COVID-19 test positivity rate is just above 2 percent — near an all-time low since the start of the pandemic. 

But the COVID-19 vaccination pace in Minnesota is now averaging fewer than 23,000 shots a day over the past week. That’s less than half the number of doses administered each day at the start of May, and the lowest level since late January as the state is now 

 to try to push more people to get vaccinated.

There will be a day’s wait before seeing whether those trends continue; the Memorial Day holiday means there won’t be updated numbers from the Minnesota Department of Health on Monday. Those updates will resume on Tuesday.

Analysis of COVID-19 data in Minnesota

How to get a COVID-19 shot in Minnesota

COVID-19 in Minnesota

Sunday’s Health Department report showed the count of known, active COVID-19 cases dropped below 4,000, the first time that’s happened since last July.

There were 316 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Minnesota as of Friday; 77 needed intensive care. Both figures continue to trend down from their April peaks. The count of intensive care patients is at its lowest point since March. Five weeks ago, more than 200 people were in ICUs.

New hospital admissions are also trending at their lowest point in more than two months. 

Eight newly reported deaths on Sunday put Minnesota’s pandemic toll at 7,426. Among those who have died, about 60 percent had been living in long-term care or assisted-living facilities; most had underlying health problems. 

The state has recorded 601,384 total confirmed or probable cases so far in the pandemic, including the 287 posted Sunday — the 16th consecutive day of fewer than 1,000 new cases. The seven-day new case average is down to a level last seen in late June.

About 98 percent of Minnesotans known to be infected with COVID-19 in the pandemic have recovered to the point where they no longer need to isolate. 

Regionally, all parts of Minnesota are in better shape than they were in late November and early December. Case counts had crept up across the state during April, but the trend is clearly on the slide. 

People in their 20s still make up the age bracket with the state’s largest number of confirmed cases — more than 111,000 since the pandemic began. The number of high school-age youth confirmed with the disease has also grown, with more than 49,000 15-to-19-year-olds known to be infected during the pandemic. 

Although young people are less likely to feel the worst effects of the disease and end up hospitalized, experts worry they can spread it unknowingly to older relatives and members of other vulnerable populations. Those with the COVID-19 virus can spread it when they don’t have symptoms.

About teenagers and the COVID-19 vaccine in MN

Unvaccinated kids and updated mask guidance

After a roller coaster few months, the seven-day vaccination trend had stabilized at around 40,000 shots a day earlier this month. Recent days’ data, though, now shows that pace down to fewer than 23,000 — making it more likely the recent 40,000 rate was an anomaly driven by a backlog of shot data.

The current pace of vaccinations is less than half what it was at the start of May, and the lowest level seen since late January.

More than 2.8 million residents 16 and older now have at least one vaccine dose. Nearly 2.6 million have completed their vaccinations as of Sunday’s update. 

That works out to about 58.8 percent of the 16-and-older population completely vaccinated and 64.5 percent with at least one shot, including 89 percent of those 65 and older. 

Minnesota is also seeing notable growth in the number of children ages 12 to 15 getting vaccinated since mid-May, when 

federal authorities approved the Pfizer vaccine for use at those ages

Health Department data shows more than 76,000 12-to-15-year-olds with at least one dose. That’s about 26 percent of that population already with at least one shot. 

State public health leaders have been pleading with those still not vaccinated to get their shots. Eligible Minnesotans can now walk in for a COVID-19 vaccination without an appointment at the state’s 

With the disease data solid, state officials are pushing now to boost vaccination counts. Gov. Tim Walz on Thursday 

, including state park passes and Minnesota State Fair tickets, to nudge unvaccinated Minnesotans to get their shots. On Friday, he highlighted some 

Officials are pressing now to get at least 70 percent of the state’s 16-and-older population vaccinated with at least one dose by July 1. 

Minnesota rolls out free beer to cheer the vaccinated

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 

How to get a COVID-19 vaccine in Minnesota

Tracking the vaccination progress in the U.S.

Full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic

Minnesota News

Health

NewsPartners

COVID-19

MPR News Staff

Author

Minnesota’s average daily COVID-19 case counts have been plummeting in recent days — and so has the state’s COVID-19 vaccination pace.


Nurse loads a syringe with the Johnson & Johnson vaccination

Paul Middlestaedt for MPR News file

David H. Montgomery | MPR News

Newly reported COVID-19 vaccine doses in Minnesota

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

Graph showing when Minnesota is on target to vaccinated 70% of adults

Graph projecting when most Minnesotans will get vaccinated

May 31 update on COVID-19 in MN: Case counts and vaccination pace falling

Go Deeper.

Like this?

News you can use in your inbox