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The average number of new COVID-19 cases reported each day in Minnesota steadily dropped through most of December.

As the new year begins, though, that decline might be stalling. State health officials will be watching closely in the coming days and weeks to see whether it’s a momentary pause, or a more lasting change in the trajectory of the pandemic.

Averaged over the past week, Minnesota is seeing about 1,895 new COVID cases a day. That’s up from about 1,700 earlier in the week — though still a huge decline from averages that exceeded 7,000 a day in late November.

The test positivity rate is up in recent days, too — averaged over the past week it was about 7.1 percent on Saturday, up from about 4.7 percent on Dec. 27.

It’s too early to tell whether those upticks will endure, but it’s something that will be closely monitored. Officials already were watching for signs of any case increases that might be tied to end-of-year holiday gatherings.

COVID-19 vaccinations continue around the state; as of Saturday’s update from the Minnesota Department of Health, just over 57,000 people had received at least one of the two-shot Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. Health care workers and long-term care facility residents have priority for the limited number of doses currently available.

The state has so far received nearly 170,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine and nearly 128,000 of the Moderna vaccine.

COVID updates from state health officials resumed Saturday, after a break on Friday for the New Year’s Day holiday. Saturday’s update includes data from Thursday; Sunday’s update will include two days’ worth of data, from Friday and Saturday.

Here are Minnesota’s current COVID-19 statistics, reported on Saturday:

• 5,377 deaths (54 new)
• 417,832 positive cases (2,543 new), 398,199 off isolation (95 percent)
• 5.6 million tests, 3 million people tested (about 52 percent of the population)
• 7.1 percent seven-day positive test rate (officials find 5 percent concerning)

 

Caseloads spread across age groups

People in their 20s still make up the age bracket with the state’s largest number of confirmed cases — more than 79,000 since the pandemic began, including more than 42,000 among people ages 20 to 24.

The number of high school-age youth confirmed with the disease has also grown, with more than 32,000 total cases among those ages 15 to 19 since the pandemic began.

Although less likely to feel the worst effects of the disease and end up hospitalized, experts worry youth and young adults will spread it to older relatives and members of other vulnerable populations.

It’s of particular concern because people can have the coronavirus and spread COVID-19 when they don’t have symptoms.

New cases ebb across Minnesota

Central and western Minnesota drove much of the increase in new cases over the past two months, while Hennepin and Ramsey counties showed some of the slowest case growth in the state.

Cases continue to fall statewide, with most regions dipping down to levels before the state’s COVID-19 surge that hit in November and early December.

Hot spots continue to pop up in rural counties relative to their population.

Caseloads still heaviest among people of color

In Minnesota and across the country, COVID-19 has hit communities of color disproportionately hard in both cases and deaths. That’s been especially true for Minnesotans of Hispanic descent for much of the pandemic.

Even as new case counts ease from their peak a few weeks ago, the data shows people of color continue to be hit hardest.

Distrust of the government, together with deeply rooted health and economic disparities, have hampered efforts to boost testing among communities of color, officials say, especially among unauthorized immigrants who fear their personal information may be used to deport them.

Similar trends have been seen among Minnesota’s Indigenous residents. Counts among Indigenous people jumped in October relative to population.

 

South-central Minnesota update

• Faribault County: nine new lab-confirmed cases, two probable cases; 922 total cases
• Freeborn County: 25 new lab-confirmed cases; 2,017 total cases

The Freeborn County Public Health Department reported of the total cases, 102 are considered active cases. One new person has been hospitalized, and 99 people have been hospitalized at some point during their illness.

The new cases included the following:

• One person between 0 and 4

• Two people between 10 and 14

• Three people in their 20s

• Six people in their 30s

• Two people in their 40s

• Four people in their 50s

• Five people in their 60s

• One person in their 80s

• One person in their 90s

• Mower County: 22 new lab-confirmed cases; 3,343 total cases
• Steele County: 16 new lab-confirmed cases; 2,528 total cases
• Waseca County: 16 new lab-confirmed cases, one new probable case; 1,772 total cases

 

Minnesota COVID-19 cases, deaths

County	Total confirmed cases	Total probable cases	Total cases	Total deaths
Aitkin	1,007	22	1,029	32
Anoka	27,100	2,016	29,116	327
Becker	2,647	50	2,697	36
Beltrami	2,775	117	2,892	42
Benton	3,750	173	3,923	80
Big Stone	430	9	439	3
Blue Earth	5,034	38	5,072	28
Brown	1,979	42	2,021	32
Carlton	2,300	308	2,608	38
Carver	6,174	300	6,474	34
Cass	1,900	36	1,936	20
Chippewa	1,247	34	1,281	29
Chisago	3,987	198	4,185	28
Clay	6,116	72	6,188	78
Clearwater	640	20	660	14
Cook	104	0	104	0
Cottonwood	1,143	80	1,223	15
Crow Wing	4,464	65	4,529	67
Dakota	29,310	1,180	30,490	279
Dodge	1,179	5	1,184	4
Douglas	3,374	133	3,507	60
Faribault	914	8	922	11
Fillmore	1,103	14	1,117	1
Freeborn	2,007	10	2,017	18
Goodhue	3,063	37	3,100	47
Grant	390	3	393	7
Hennepin	84,045	2,717	86,762	1,390
Houston	1,151	47	1,198	13
Hubbard	1,376	21	1,397	37
Isanti	2,493	157	2,650	33
Itasca	2,664	39	2,703	39
Jackson	751	47	798	8
Kanabec	909	21	930	18
Kandiyohi	5,344	49	5,393	66
Kittson	305	36	341	18
Koochiching	539	11	550	9
Lac qui Parle	561	46	607	15
Lake	511	45	556	15
Lake of the Woods	147	5	152	1
Le Sueur	1,947	21	1,968	15
Lincoln	446	8	454	1
Lyon	2,790	70	2,860	29
Mahnomen	396	1	397	7
Marshall	661	16	677	12
Martin	1,555	26	1,581	25
McLeod	3,041	41	3,082	40
Meeker	1,860	27	1,887	32
Mille Lacs	1,968	66	2,034	43
Morrison	2,813	112	2,925	43
Mower	3,300	43	3,343	25
Murray	720	39	759	5
Nicollet	2,045	44	2,089	32
Nobles	3,474	63	3,537	46
Norman	410	2	412	8
Olmsted	9,380	39	9,419	62
Otter Tail	4,091	150	4,241	51
Pennington	829	77	906	14
Pine	2,383	112	2,495	12
Pipestone	847	30	877	21
Polk	3,016	192	3,208	49
Pope	687	5	692	4
Ramsey	36,020	1,310	37,330	694
Red Lake	270	41	311	4
Redwood	1,288	29	1,317	26
Renville	1,250	51	1,301	39
Rice	5,495	75	5,570	55
Rock	960	71	1,031	10
Roseau	1,494	113	1,607	14
Scott	10,755	353	11,108	83
Sherburne	7,219	493	7,712	57
Sibley	993	34	1,027	5
St. Louis	12,087	537	12,624	208
Stearns	16,500	519	17,019	173
Steele	2,520	8	2,528	9
Stevens	665	7	672	6
Swift	768	22	790	16
Todd	2,218	17	2,235	27
Traverse	191	26	217	2
Wabasha	1,502	7	1,509	2
Wadena	1,091	39	1,130	12
Waseca	1,766	6	1,772	13
Washington	17,951	659	18,610	192
Watonwan	1,019	7	1,026	7
Wilkin	572	20	592	7
Winona	3,551	35	3,586	44
Wright	10,181	723	10,904	90
Yellow Medicine	827	61	888	14
Unknown/missing	405	24	429	0