Weekly COVID update: 1,703 new cases in St. Cloud area, 13 deaths

Becca Most, St. Cloud Times
·2 min read

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ST. CLOUD — There were 1,703 new cases of COVID-19 reported in the tri-county area by the Minnesota Department of Health this week, and 13 people in the St. Cloud area were reported dead due to COVID-related complications.

Among the dead include two Benton County residents, one in their late 30s and one in their late 80s. Six Sherburne County residents were reported dead, one in their early 60s, three in their early 70s, one in their late 80s and one in their late 90s. Five Stearns County residents were reported dead, one in their early 60s, two in their late 70s, one in their early 80s and one in their early 90s.

Stearns County saw 839 newly reported cases of COVID-19 last week, Sherburne County saw 609 new cases and Benton County saw 255 new cases.

Andrew Huxley, 15, hears about the COVID-19 vaccine from LPN Jaclyn Niska Tuesday, May 18, 2021, at CentraCare Plaza Pediatrics.
Andrew Huxley, 15, hears about the COVID-19 vaccine from LPN Jaclyn Niska Tuesday, May 18, 2021, at CentraCare Plaza Pediatrics.

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No data was published Thursday because of Thanksgiving. This week's COVID data report uses data reported Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.

On Tuesday, data collected from 4 a.m. Friday through 4 a.m. Monday will be posted on MDH's website.

A COVID-19 vaccine dose sits on the counter Tuesday, May 18, 2021, at CentraCare Plaza Pediatrics.
A COVID-19 vaccine dose sits on the counter Tuesday, May 18, 2021, at CentraCare Plaza Pediatrics.

State numbers

Statewide, 183 people were reported dead last week and there were 24,063 newly reported cases, bringing Minnesota's total case number to 895,229.

And 9,338 people have been reported dead in Minnesota, including:

  • 275 people in Stearns County.

  • 126 people in Sherburne County.

  • 124 people in Benton County.

More: Federal medical teams to assist St. Cloud Hospital amid COVID surge

Signs direct people to the vaccination clinic Friday, March 12, 2021, at Cash Wise pharmacy in Waite Park.
Signs direct people to the vaccination clinic Friday, March 12, 2021, at Cash Wise pharmacy in Waite Park.

More than 3.3 million people eligible for the vaccine ages 5 and up have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in Minnesota, according to MDH.

In the St. Cloud area, that includes:

  • 55.5% of residents 5 and older in Stearns County.

  • 53.9% of residents 5 and older in Sherburne County.

  • 53.0% of residents 5 and older in Benton County.

Worldwide there have been more than 7.5 billion doses of the vaccine administered, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University.

Globally more than 5.1 million people have died of COVID-19 complications, including 776,353 people in the U.S., as of Saturday.

Find a vaccine clinic near you at https://mn.gov/covid19/vaccine/find-vaccine/index.jsp.

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Becca Most is a cities reporter with the St. Cloud Times. Reach her at 320-241-8213 or bmost@stcloudtimes.com. Follow her on Twitter at @becca_most.

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This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: Weekly COVID update: 1,703 new cases in St. Cloud area, 13 deaths