Minnesota reports 15 more COVID-19 deaths, 389 infections

Minnesota health authorities reported 15 more COVID-19 deaths Thursday, including 11 residents of long-term care or assisted-living facilities.

The latest data from the Minnesota Department of Health reflects the continued disparity in the COVID-19 death toll by age and residence type. Among 1,884 total COVID-19 deaths in Minnesota, 73% have involved mostly elderly residents of long-term care facilities.

People 70 and older make up less than 10% of the state's total of 82,249 lab-confirmed infections with the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19, but they make up 80% of the deaths from the infectious disease. Total lab-confirmed infections include 389 reported by the state health department on Thursday.

The disparity in deaths by age and residence type has lessened over time, though. A Star Tribune review of 796 COVID-19 deaths reported through June 15 showed that 77.3% involved residents of long-term care or assisted living facilities. That rate dropped to 59.1% for COVID-19 deaths reported since that time.

State health officials scheduled a media briefing Thursday afternoon to discuss the state of the pandemic in long-term care facilities, and the efforts to reduce infections among workers and residents of such facilities.

Twelve of the 15 deaths reported on Thursday involved people 70 or older; two deaths involving people in their fifties and one involving someone in the sixties age range.

The state on Thursday also reported that 257 people were hospitalized with COVID-19, and that 138 required intensive care due to breathing problems or other complications from the infectious disease.

Health officials are concerned that recent upticks in infections in young adults — particularly related to college students and outbreaks in bars or large group settings — could spread the virus back to more vulnerable populations. The positivity rate of COVID-19 diagnostic testing has risen to nearly 6%, and the rate of infections linked to unknown community sources is 34%.

Case counts are beginning to be reported independently at colleges and universities — with Winona State University reporting 209 known infections earlier this week and issuing a two-week quarantine that bumped most courses fully online.

The University of St. Thomas reported 16 positive cases in students and one in a staff member for the week ending Sept. 4, while Minnesota State University, Mankato, reported 65 known cases among students, including 26 who had been on campus and had contact with others. Seven of 97 beds assigned on the Mankato campus for COVID-19 isolation or quarantine of students are filled.

Health officials have reported case clusters involving students of multiple colleges in Morehead, where Concordia College currently reports 41 cases. St. Olaf College, in Northfield, made headlines last month for suspending several students who violated social distancing guidelines at a crowded party. The institution reported nine new infections in the week ending Sept. 1 with 60 students under quarantine due to their exposure risks.

News developer Michael Corey contributed to this story.

Jeremy Olson • 612-673-7744