Coronavirus Tuesday update: MN COVID-19 deaths top 8,000

Christopher Magan, Pioneer Press, St. Paul, Minn.
·2 min read

Sep. 21—Minnesota's COVID-19 death toll surpassed another milestone Tuesday with 18 more fatalities recorded by the state Department of Health pushing the total number of lives lost to the pandemic to 8,011.

The last time Minnesota marked such a point was in April when the state surpassed 7,000 deaths. It took 157 days to add about 1,000 deaths, the longest stretch of the pandemic.

That's largely because vaccines have been widely available since Spring. While there have been 118 fatalities of vaccinated residents that is just 0.004 percent of the more than 3 million who are fully vaccinated.

Driven by the more contagious delta variant of the coronavirus, breakthrough cases are on the rise, but 99 percent of fully vaccinated people in Minnesota have not reported a breakthrough infection.

The latest deaths ranged in age from their early 40s to their late 80s with 13 residing in private homes and five in long-term care. One of the deaths occurred back in December and one in August, the remaining 16 happened in September.

Since the outbreak began about 1.2 percent of Minnesotans who have tested positive have died from COVID-19. Minnesota has reported 2,689 COVID-19 deaths so far in 2021.

About 87 percent of fatalities from COVID-19 are seniors. But health officials say severe cases have been on the rise in younger people, particularly those who are unvaccinated.

Minnesota reported 6,352 new coronavirus cases Tuesday bringing the state total to 690,391. The state only reports data on business days so Tuesday's reported cases stretch over the past weekend.

Of those who tested positive since March 2020, about 96 percent have recovered. There are an estimated 16,200 people with active infections who are recovering at home.

There are 791 patients hospitalized including 222 in critical condition. Since the pandemic began more than 37,000 people have needed hospital care including 7,500 requiring intensive care.

Minnesota has administered 6.3 million doses of vaccine and 3.3 million people have gotten one shot. More than 71 percent of the vaccine eligible population has gotten at least one shot.

Gov. Tim Walz announced Tuesday the vaccination site at the Mall of America would expand both its hours and capacity. The clinic will be open from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays.

"Whether at school, at work or at home, Minnesotans roll up their sleeves every day to make a difference," Walz said in a statement. "If you aren't vaccinated yet, now is the time to make a difference in the battle against COVID-19."

The site will grow its capacity from 150 shots per day now to 500 shots per day beginning Wednesday. For more information about coronavirus vaccines and testing visit: www.mn.gov/covid19.