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Minnesota sees back-to-back days with fewer than 2,000 new COVID-19 cases

By Allie Johnson
Published 
Updated 6:17PM
Coronavirus in Minnesota
FOX 9

(FOX 9) - Minnesota reported fewer than 2,000 new cases of COVID-19 in back-to-back days for the first time since late October. 

The Minnesota Department of Health reported 1,714 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday and 24 additional deaths. 

Minnesota has now seen more 400,000 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus since the first infection was reported in the state in March. Nearly 94% of the state’s cases have recovered to the point where they no longer require isolation. 

The 1,714 newly reported cases were on a relatively low volume of 32,195 completed tests—a 5.3% positivity rate—although Tuesdays typically see lower testing volume than other days of the week. Minnesota’s 7-day moving average positivity rate continues to decline week-over-week. It was 6.4% as of Tuesday, down from 8.1% the week before. 

500,000 health care workers, long-term care residents to be vaccinated by end of January

Minnesota health officials expect they will be done vaccinating a half-million health care workers and long-term care residents by the end of January.

Nine of the 24 deaths reported on Tuesday were in the Twin Cities metro while the rest were in Greater Minnesota. Sixteen people who died were residents of long-term care or assisted living facilities and one was in a group home or residential behavioral health facility. 

A total of 4,896 Minnesotans have died from the disease to date.

Hospitalizations increased slightly from the day before, but are still down 43% since their peak over Thanksgiving weekend. There are 1,060 people currently hospitalized with COVID-19 in Minnesota, compared to 1,040 people yesterday, according to MDH data. Of those 1,060 patients, 228 are in the ICU.