New COVID-19 cases in west central Minnesota rise slightly, as do deaths, but statewide positivity rate down

Linda Vanderwerf, West Central Tribune, Willmar, Minn.
·3 min read

Jun. 3—WILLMAR

— The number of deaths related to COVID-19 and newly confirmed cases in the area both increased slightly in the past week.

In the 11 counties tracked by the West Central Tribune, four deaths and 569 new cases were reported by the Minnesota Department of Health. The new case total is slightly higher than the totals reported in the past two weeks.

The case numbers locally and statewide could be much higher. State updates are preliminary and reflect positive test results which are reported to the state. The updates do not include the results of at-home tests.

The test positivity rate, as reported by the

Mayo Clinic website,

is now 12%, the lowest since May 11.

Among area residents whose deaths were reported in the past week were two people in Kandiyohi County, one person in the 90-94 age category and one person age 95-99. One person age 85-89 from Stearns County died, and one person age 95-99 from Pope County died.

Stearns County, the largest of the counties in the Tribune's count, reported 321 new cases. Kandiyohi County, the second-largest, reported 74 new cases.

In the

situation update

from the

Minnesota Department of Health

, the state reported 15 newly reported deaths and 1,968 new cases Friday. The report is released five days a week at 11 a.m. and includes cases reported as of 4 a.m. the previous business day.

The state's cumulative number of cases is now 1,515,724, which includes 1,441,728 total people testing positive and reinfections. The state reports the number of people who have tested positive for COVID-19 again more than 90 days after an initial lab-confirmed positive test. The total of new cases in the past week is 10,742.

The state's current total number of deaths attributed to COVID-19 is now at 12,664, which includes 36 more deaths than a week ago. Of that total, 5,786 deaths, 45.7%, have occurred in long-term care or assisted living facilities.

In a report of its

response capacity

to the pandemic, the Health Department reported Thursday that 42 people with COVID-19 were in ICUs across the state as of Thursday, and 404 people with COVID-19 were hospitalized but not in an ICU.

The state also reports the hospital capacity of adult and pediatric beds. Of the state's eight pediatric ICU units, one reported having zero staffed beds available. Of the 36 hospitals with non-ICU pediatric units, 21 hospitals, 58%, said they had zero staffed non-ICU pediatric beds available.

Of 68 adult ICUs, 38 of them, 56%, said they had zero staffed beds available. Of 130 hospitals, 39 hospitals, 30%, said they had staffed zero non-ICU beds.

Since the start of the pandemic, the number of COVID-19 cases among residents confirmed to reside in area counties and the number of deaths includes:

*

Big Stone County

: 1,445 cases; 9 deaths

*

Chippewa County

: 3,201 cases; 48 deaths

*

Kandiyohi County

: 13,868 cases; 141 deaths

*

Lac qui Parle County

: 1,795 cases; 29 deaths

*

Meeker County

: 6,101 cases; 75 deaths

*

Pope County

: 3,223 cases; 18 deaths

*

Redwood County

: 4,034 cases; 54 deaths

*

Renville County

: 3,836 cases; 56 deaths

*

Stearns County

: 52,665 cases; 370 deaths

*

Swift County

: 2,356 cases; 33 deaths

*

Yellow Medicine County

: 2,619 cases; 29 deaths

The state also reports

daily vaccine administration

numbers. As of Friday's report, 3,917,940 Minnesotans have received at least one dose and 3,713,521 have completed the vaccine series statewide. The number of people listed as being up-to-date with their vaccines, meaning they have had booster shots, is 2,444,598.

The vaccine data web page is updated at 11 a.m. weekdays, but there is a delay between a vaccine being given and when it is reported to the Minnesota Department of Health.