Eight more COVID deaths in Minnesota; hospital cases decline further

Eight more people have died of COVID-19 in Minnesota, health officials reported Sunday.

COVID-19 has caused 1,425 deaths across the state, according to data posted Sunday morning by the Minnesota Department of Health. Residents of long-term care and assisted-living facilities accounted for six of the newly announced deaths.

The net count for positive test results grew by 523 confirmed cases in the past day, bringing the total to 35,549 cases overall.

A total of 288 people require hospitalization, compared with 300 at Saturday's data release, the Health Department said. The latest numbers show 143 patients required intensive care, compared with 155 ICU patients on Saturday.

Daily tallies for hospitalized patients in Minnesota have been declining in recent weeks.

COVID-19 is a viral respiratory illness caused by a new coronavirus that surfaced late last year. Since the first case was reported in Minnesota on March 6, a total of 4,010 people have been hospitalized.

People at greatest risk from COVID-19 include those 65 and older, residents of long-term care facilities and those with underlying medical conditions. The medical conditions range from lung disease, serious heart conditions and cancer to severe obesity, diabetes and failing kidneys.

Most patients with COVID-19 don't need to be hospitalized. The illness usually causes mild or moderate sickness, the Health Department says, and does not require a clinic visit.

Numbers released Sunday show health care workers have accounted for 3,585 cases statewide. A total of 30,809 Minnesotans who were infected with the novel coronavirus no longer need to be in isolation, up from 30,401 people at Saturday's data release.

Confirmed cases have been reported in 86 of the state's 87 counties, with no cases in Lake of the Woods County in far northern Minnesota.

Kim Hyatt • 612-673-4751