Minnesota reports 22 more COVID-19 deaths Wednesday

(FOX 9) - The Minnesota Department of Health reported 1,514 new COVID-19 cases and 22 more deaths Wednesday, the most deaths reported in a single day since late February. 

The 22 newly reported deaths included four long-term care residents and one person in their 30s. A total of 7,113 people in Minnesota have died from COVID-19 since the pandemic began.  

The 1,514 new cases were out of 24,496 tests, a 6.1% positivity rate. Minnesota’s seven-day rolling average positivity rate continues to decline, now down to about 6.6%. Anything over 5% is a concern for MDH because it indicates a high rate of community transmission of the virus. 

Minnesota has recorded 572,025 COVID-19 cases since the first case was reported in the state last March. 

There are currently 643 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in Minnesota, 178 of whom are in the ICU. Hospitalizations in the spring surge peaked at 699 on April 14. 

Minnesotans express hope, excitement as COVID-19 vaccinations increase

Each day, more than 3,000 people come through the line at the Minnesota state fairgrounds to get vaccinated against COVID-19, according to organizers.

Meanwhile, 2,468,406 Minnesotans have received at least dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 1,811,171 are fully vaccinated, according to the last MDH data. 

Over four million doses of the vaccine have been administered in Minnesota to date. 

Getting a vaccine appointment is no longer as difficult as it once was. Vaccination clinics at counties throughout the metro are showing thousands of available appointments. Minnesotans also now have the option to schedule an appointment at one of the state’s community vaccination clinics directly through the Vaccine Connector website, rather than wait to be randomly selected.

More information on how to find a shot can be found here.