In the week before Thanksgiving, the positive rate of COVID-19 in Minnesota (the state with the most severe coronavirus outbreak) had reached its pre-vaccination level.
This week, the state’s positive rate rose above the high-risk threshold of 10% for the first time since December 2020, when the majority of Minnesota people did not have widespread access to the vaccine.
As of Tuesday, 1,348 people in the state have been hospitalized with the virus, which is the largest number of ICU patients in Minnesota this year. According to the Minnesota Department of Health, another 51 people have died from COVID-19, bringing the state’s death toll to more than 9,000.
Minnesota Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm told reporters on Tuesday that in the recent surge, only 2% of staffed hospital beds are still available.
The number of available beds in the metropolitan area is even greater, with only eight ICU beds open in the entire hospital system of the Twin Cities.
The data comes from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Shows that the 7-day rolling average of 10.3% in Minnesota makes the state the worst state in the country last week.
Brandon Bell/Getty
The last time the state’s positive rate was so high, Minnesota was battling a severe COVID wave, which led Governor Tim Walz to re-order businesses and announce restrictions on social gatherings for four weeks.
Since the vaccine was provided to the general public earlier this year, such high levels of the virus have never occurred.
Central and northern Minnesota counties still have the highest infection rates, where population vaccination rates are among the lowest in the state.
CDC data shows that in Kanabe County, only 47% of people 12 years and older have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The figure in Wadner County is slightly higher, at 58%.
In contrast, 78% of people over 12 in Minnesota received at least one dose of the vaccine.
On Tuesday, given that the immunity of vaccinated people may be weakening, state health officials urged people to get the first batch of vaccines or boost injections.
The officials added that while they are following federal discussions on expanding and strengthening injection eligibility, they are prepared to move on and make it available to all adults in Minnesota, regardless of whether there is a Biden administration.
“Given that the situation in Minnesota is very serious… if the federal level does not take action, we are preparing to advance independently this week to expand booster qualifications, and we absolutely hope that action will be taken this week,” Malcolm said in the press conference. .
She added: “Given our current level of cases, and we now spend the winter indoors and gather for vacation, this enhanced protection is particularly important and timely.” “We need to do everything we can to ensure that all Minnesota people can fully enjoy the vaccine protection. To help themselves, their communities, and the entire state escape the impact of the COVID surge caused by the Delta variant this fall.”
