Weekly COVID update: 3,651 new cases, 13 St. Cloud area deaths

Becca Most, St. Cloud Times
·2 min read

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ST. CLOUD — There were 3,651 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 to have died due to COVID-related complications.

Among the dead include four Stearns County residents, four Sherburne County residents and five Benton County residents.

One resident was in their early 40s, one was in their early 50s, one was in their late 50s, one was in their late 60s, one was in their early 70s, four were in their late 70s, two were in their early 80s, one was in their late 80s and one was in their early 90s.

Larissa Yehle administers a dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine Friday, March 12, 2021, at Cash Wise pharmacy in Waite Park.
Larissa Yehle administers a dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine Friday, March 12, 2021, at Cash Wise pharmacy in Waite Park.

More: One-fourth of all CentraCare patients have COVID-19, ICU and critical care beds full

Stearns County reported 2,121 new cases of COVID-19 this week, Sherburne County reported 972 new cases and Benton County reported 558 new cases, according to MDH.

Because at-home tests and over the counter COVID tests aren't reported to the health department, the number of new cases is likely much higher, Commissioner Jan Malcolm said in a press conference earlier this month.

More: Central Minnesota officials decline CentraCare's request for a 6-week mask mandate

State numbers

Statewide, 180 people were reported dead due to COVID-19 complications and there were 78,545 new cases reported this week, bringing Minnesota's total case number to 1,216,734.

In Minnesota 11,151 people have been reported died due to COVID-19 including:

  • 333 people in Stearns County

  • 165 people in Sherburne County

  • 151 people in Benton County

More than 3.5 million people 5 and older in the state have received at least two doses of the COVID vaccine as of Wednesday, according to MDH.

In St. Cloud that includes:

  • 59% of residents 5 and older in Stearns County

  • 57% of residents 5 and older in Sherburne County

  • 56.1% of residents 5 and older in Benton County

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.

More: St. Cloud Diocese requiring masks at Mass and in Catholic schools amid omicron COVID surge

Worldwide there have been more than 9.7 billion doses of the vaccine administered, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University.

Globally more than 5.5 million people have died of COVID-19 complications, including more than 864,000 people in the U.S..

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

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: 3,651 new cases, 13 St. Cloud area deaths