COVID-19 in Minnesota: 115 new COVID-19 cases, 4 deaths reported Friday

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - The Minnesota Department of Health reported 115 new COVID-19 cases and four additional deaths Friday as the state’s seven-day rolling average test positivity rate declines to 1.7%, well below the caution threshold.

The 115 newly reported cases were out of 10,982 tests, a 1.05% positivity rate. The seven-day average test positivity rate is down to 1.7% from its spring peak of 7.4% in early April. Anything over 5% is cause for concern for health officials because it indicates a high rate of community transmission.

While amount of cases continue to drop, state health officials are closely watching the increase of COVID-19 variants across the state. The CDC recently classified the Delta variant as a "variant of concern" because it spreads more easily and can cause more severe symptoms. According to state data, Minnesota has reported at least 43 cases of the Delta variant.

Two of the four people who died were under the age of 65. One of the deaths reported on Friday was in a long-term care facility.

There are currently 132 people hospitalized with COVID-19 across Minnesota, 41 of whom are in the ICU.

Meanwhile, 66.1% of Minnesotans 16 years of age and older have at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. At the current pace of vaccinations, it appears Minnesota will fall short of its goal of vaccinating 70% of that population by July 1.

So far, only 10 of the 87 counties in Minnesota have reached the 70% vaccination threshold: Carlton, Carver, Cook, Dakota, Hennepin, Houston, Olmsted, Ramsey, Scott and Washington.

Over 3 million Minnesotans age 12 and up now have at least one vaccine dose and nearly 2.8 million are fully vaccinated.