Here is the latest data on Minnesota’s battle against COVID-19, the delta and omicron variants and the efforts to increase vaccinations and testing across the state.
ST PAUL, Minn. — Editor’s Note: The video above originally aired on Jan. 7, 2022.
- Allina Health announces “red visitor status,” which bans patient visitors in its facilities with limited exceptions.
- MDH reports new cases, new deaths
- Officials urge people to stop going to ERs and hospitals for COVID tests
- MDH adopts CDC guidelines on reduced quarantine time
- St. Paul and Minneapolis announce mask mandates for businesses
- FDA approves Pfizer boosters for children 12-15
- Healthcare workers run short on hope amid omicron wave
Allina Health announced its facilities will begin “red visitor status” Tuesday, which puts a ban on patient visitors with limited exceptions.
In a statement sent to KARE 11 Monday afternoon, Allina said safety of patients, employees and visitors is “top priority.”
“Allina Health has never seen a community illness impact patients and staff to the levels COVID-19 is currently,” the statement read. “The current surge of COVID-19 infections has increased levels of community exposure, has sharply increased pressure on the communities we serve and on an already strained system dealing with staffing shortages.”
The release went on to say that an average of more than 100 staff members were removed from work every day in the first five days of 2022 due to either positive COVID infections, or waiting for test results.
“The weariness among healthcare workers and the general public is profound. We empathize and are hopeful 2022 will bring a turning point in this pandemic; however, we need the public to help those who care for us,” said Hsieng Su, MD, Allina Health senior vice president and chief medical executive.
The health care provider went on to encourage masking, getting vaccinated and testing if you feel sick.
Visit Allina’s website for more information about current visitor policies.
The Minnesota Department of Health announced hundreds of new COVID cases and dozens of new deaths in the state on Monday. Health officials contribute the large number of cases to the backlog of cases from the weekend due to processing errors.
According to MDH, 10,964 more people have tested positive for the virus, bringing the total since the start of the pandemic to 1,075,028.
MDH officials reported on Monday new 44 COVID-related deaths.
Since the pandemic began in 2020, Minnesota has reported 10,810 COVID-related deaths.
Officials say 5,201 COVID-related deaths have taken place in long-term care or assisted living facilities.
According to MDH’s newest published data, more than 1,300 people are being treated for COVID in hospitals in Minnesota, with 1,180 patients in non-ICU beds and 255 in the ICU.
ICU bed space continues to be low across the state.
MDH reported total doses of 8,849,903 vaccine have been administered in the state, with 3,775,306 people age 5 and older having received at least one shot (72.4%). Of that number, 3,541,401 people have completed their COVID series and are considered completely vaccinated (68%).
Among children 5 through 11 years old, 166,954 kids have at least one shot (33%) and 128,459 have completed their vaccine series (25%).
According to the state’s vaccine dashboard, out of the total number of doses that have been administered in Minnesota, 59.6% are Pfizer, 36.6% are Moderna and 3.8% are Johnson & Johnson.
Watch the latest reports and updates on the coronavirus pandemic in Minnesota with our YouTube playlist: