West central Minnesota records 464 new COVID-19 cases and five deaths in state's new weekly update

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

Jul. 1—WILLMAR

— West central Minnesota reported 464 new cases of COVID-19 and five deaths related to the coronavirus a week ago, according to the weekly situation update released Thursday by the Minnesota Department of Health.

This week, the department began providing a

weekly situation update

, replacing the daily updates that began in spring 2020. The updates will be released each Thursday at 11 a.m. with data received as of 4 a.m. the preceding Tuesday. Where numbers are said to be from last week, they are from Sunday through Saturday the week before the information is released.

In all cases, the numbers in the updates are preliminary and may change as more information is received. The case numbers include positive test results reported to the state.

Between June 19 and June 25, a total of five deaths were reported in the area — one in Pope, two in Renville, one in Stearns and one in Yellow Medicine counties.

New cases reported the week of June 19 to June 25 in the 11 counties tracked by the West Central Tribune:

* Big Stone, 7

* Chippewa, 9

* Kandiyohi, 42

* Lac qui Parle, 19

* Meeker, 38

* Pope, 23

* Redwood, 26

* Renville, 28

* Stearns, 244

* Swift, 8

* Yellow Medicine, 20

The state's cumulative number of cases is now listed at 1,552,840, including reinfections. 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.

The state's current total number of deaths attributed to COVID-19 is now at 12,806.

In a report of its

response capacity

to the pandemic, the Health Department reported that 41people with COVID-19 were in ICUs across the state as of June 30, and 360 people with COVID-19 were hospitalized but not in an ICU.

The state also reports

daily vaccine administration

numbers. As of June 29, 3,932,769 Minnesotans have received one dose and 3,771,316 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 1,702,187.