Wintry mix possible in southern Minnesota today

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State officials worried for weeks about a possible COVID-19 bounce from the Thanksgiving holiday, which brought many together indoors for celebrations — the kind of conditions that lead to more viral spread. That appears to be coming to pass.

Tuesday’s Health Department numbers show known, active cases climbing higher over the past week. The percentage of COVID tests coming back positive is trending at about 10 percent over the past week, twice as high as the 5 percent officials find concerning.

Newly reported COVID cases averaged more than 4,700 a day during the past seven reporting days. Last week, that average was around 3,600.

Tuesday’s numbers don’t offer a clear sense of where the pandemic is headed next. Signs last week that the disease might have been ebbing were eclipsed by news that COVID-19’s 

omicron variant has surfaced in the state

The omicron variant in Minnesota

What we know about omicron

Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm described the omicron discovery as a wake-up call. “Even though we may feel we’re done with the pandemic,” she said, “it’s certainly not done with us.”

Hospitalizations and intensive care cases remain high. Bed counts that fell below 100 in mid-July jumped in the late fall; 1,621 people are hospitalized now with COVID with 335 needing intensive care.

The newest Health Department report shows 

zero staffed adult ICU beds available in the Twin Cities metro area

 and in west-central Minnesota, with only one bed available in central Minnesota and three across all of northeastern Minnesota as of Monday. The counts are considered a snapshot of availability from the prior day. 

Hospital executives across the state say COVID-19 patients combined with other care needs have been 

Hospitals in this wave are seeing more people needing treatment for other illnesses along with people who delayed getting care over the past year and a half. Some are stretched to the point that military personnel are on-site at 

Urge Minnesotans to get vaccinated

Creates dangerous ER bottlenecks

What's behind Minnesota's COVID-19 spike?

The current surge, driven largely by the highly contagious delta variant, has been particularly hard on greater Minnesota. Data collected by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show 

 currently with a high level of virus transmission. 

Last week, the count of known, active COVID cases in the state slipped to 27,435, the lowest point in three weeks. By Monday, though, it had climbed again, to 36,260, near its 2021 high. 

The state's death toll stands at 9,699, including 45 deaths newly reported on Monday.

Deaths typically follow a surge in cases and hospitalizations. In past COVID-19 waves, it’s been the last of the key metrics to improve. 

The state seems better positioned now than during its fall 2020 and spring 2021 spikes. More than 75 percent of state residents age 12 and older have received at least one vaccination shot, with more than 71 percent now completely vaccinated.

The state is seeing progress in getting booster shots into Minnesotans who’ve already been vaccinated. 

However, the struggle continues to get first shots into more Minnesotans. Wide gaps remain in the vaccination rates among regions and counties.

COVID vaccines for kids in Minnesota

And more booster questions, answered

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State officials worried about a possible bounce from the Thanksgiving holiday, which brought many together indoors for celebrations — the kind of conditions that lead to more viral spread. That appears to be happening.

A man waits after receiving a COVID-19 booster shot

Tim Evans for MPR News file

David H. Montgomery | MPR News

Graph showing COVID-19 hospitalizations by region

Active, confirmed COVID-19 cases in Minnesota

New COVID-19 related deaths reported in Minnesota each day

Graph showing total COVID-19 vaccinations by age

Map of Minnesota COVID-19 eligible vaccination rate

Latest on COVID-19 in MN: Thanksgiving surge strengthens

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