Apr. 28—WILLMAR

— The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 continues to fall in west central Minnesota and across Minnesota, according to the

weekly situation update

released Thursday by the Minnesota Department of Health.

From April 16 through April 22, 79 cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in the area, 11 fewer cases than were reported the week before.

No deaths related to COVID-19 were reported in the 11 counties tracked by the West Central Tribune.

The state's report of new cases is an undercount, because at-home test results are not included.

In west central Minnesota, 12 people from area counties were hospitalized — 10 from Stearns County and two from Kandiyohi County.

In all cases, the numbers in the updates are preliminary and may change as more information is received.

The state's

current death toll

attributed to

COVID-19

is 14,720, an increase of 24 from last week's report.

The state's

cumulative number of cases

is 1,793,335, including reinfections. New cases in the past week totaled 1,267, an average of 181 new cases a day. The daily average is 51 lower than in the previous state update.

People who have tested positive for COVID-19 again more than 90 days after an initial lab-confirmed positive test are considered to have a reinfection.

New cases reported in the area last week:

Big Stone

, 1;

Chippewa

, 0;

Kandiyohi

, 9;

Lac qui Parle

, 1;

Meeker

, 3;

Pope

, 5;

Redwood

, 5;

Renville

, 2;

Stearns

, 48;

Swift

, 1;

Yellow Medicine

, 4.

The state reported 179 people hospitalized with COVID-19, as of April 25. That includes 163 people hospitalized in medical units, 11 fewer than the week before, and another 16 in intensive care units, four more than the week before.

Hospitalizations

had a seven-day average of 18 in ICUs and 175 in medical units. The daily average is higher/lower for ICUs and higher/lower for medical units.

As of April 25, 4,013,499 Minnesotans, 72.1%, have received at least one dose of a

COVID-19 vaccine

, and 68.1% of the state's population, 3,788,913 people, have completed the vaccine series.

The number of people listed as being up-to-date with their vaccines, meaning they have had recommended booster shots, is 1,414,348, which is 25.4% of Minnesotans.

For ages 6 months through 4 years, up to date means a complete primary series. For ages 5 and older, up to date means a complete primary series and a bivalent booster dose when due.

People 65 or older and those immunocompromising conditions are now eligible for a second bivalent booster.

In June 2022, the department began providing a weekly update, replacing the daily updates that began in spring 2020. The updates are released each Thursday at 11 a.m. and include data received as of 4 a.m. the preceding Tuesday.

When the report refers to numbers from last week, it refers to information gathered from Sunday through Saturday the week before the information is released.