COVID-19 in Minnesota: 6,265 new cases, 51 more deaths reported Saturday

(FOX 9) - Minnesota health officials reported 6,265 new cases of COVID-19 and 51 additional deaths Saturday as the state begins a four-week pause on bars and restaurants, gyms and sports.

This week, Minnesota hit new daily highs for COVID-19 cases and deaths, with 8,703 cases reported Sunday and 72 deaths Thursday.

There have been 262,952 COVID-19 cases and 3,201 deaths from the disease in Minnesota since the pandemic began, according to the state Department of Health data. There are currently 54,268 active cases of the coronavirus that require isolation.

Minnesota bars wind down operations on Friday as COVID-19 dial-back measures go into effect

Minnesota bars were putting the caps on their kegs on Friday as new restrictions went into effect barring indoor service for at least four weeks.

The 6,265 newly reported COVID-19 cases were on a volume of 52,025 completed tests—a positivity rate of 12%. The key indicator, the state’s 7-day moving average positivity rate is now about 14%, according to Johns Hopkins University’s COVID-19 Tracking Project. The World Health Organization says a positivity rate above 5% indicates a community may be testing the sickest patients and possibly missing milder or asymptomatic cases.

Of the 51 newly reported deaths, ages ranged from 45-100 or older. Thirty-one people lived in long-term living facilities.

The number of COVID-19 cases in Minnesota have increased 136% over the last two weeks, the fourth highest rate of increase in the nation, according to the NBC News COVID-19 tracker.

With COVID-19 cases surging across Minnesota, Gov. Tim Walz is shutting down dining in bars and restaurants, closing gyms and fitness centers and pausing sports for four weeks in an attempt to slow the spread. The new restrictions go into effect Friday at 11:59 p.m.