2-11 Minnesota COVID-19 Update: Case Rate Falls to 3.9%, Lowest Since June; Vaccinations Racing Against Variants

2-11 COVID-19 Update from Minnesota Department of Health

Also see: Governor Walz Gives COVID-19 Vaccination Update, Minnesota Expects 5% More Doses Next Week

The Minnesota Department of Health will hold a conference call Thursday to brief members of the media on the latest vaccine and health information regarding COVID-19.

To watch the full briefing, click here.

MDH Commissioner Jan Malcolm:

• In Minnesota, 470,803 total cases since start of pandemic (up 907 over previous reporting day on lab testing volume of more than 44,000)
  • Of the 470,803 cases, 456,849 (97%) are no longer considered infectious
• In Minnesota 6,343 total deaths since pandemic began (up 24 deaths)
  • Of the 24 newly reported deaths, 13 were residents of long-term care/assisted living
  • One of the deaths, a resident of Anoka County, was in the 35-39 age group. This person had underlying health conditions.
  • Minnesota previously reported a COVID-19 death of a child in the 5 to 9 age range. The child’s viral infection exacerbated an existing congenital neurological disorder, health officials said
• 7-day case positivity rate at 3.9%, the lowest since June 27

Latest Vaccine Information:

• 777,459 vaccine doses administered
  • Of those, 599,218 Minnesotans have received at least one dose
  • 251,738 people age 65+ have received at least one dose (There are more than 900,000 people in Minnesota age 65+)
• To register for a vaccine at a health care provider or clinic nearest you, go to mn.gov/covid19/vaccine/find-vaccine
• Johnson & Johnson has applied for emergency authorization use of its one-dose vaccine.

MDH Director of Infectious Disease Kris Ehresmann:

• Hospitalizations are steadily declining
• “We are in a better place than we’ve been in quite some time,” said Ehresmann.
• However, there’s concern about variants of SARS-coV-2
  • 18 Minnesota cases of B.1.1.7. variant (first discovered in United Kingdom)
  • 2 Minnesota cases of P.1 variant (first discovered in Brazil)
  • These variants are most likely underreported
  • Minnesota Department of Health also monitoring fast-spreading variant first discovered in South Africa (B.1.351)
    • 9 cases of this variant reported from three states, not yet in Minnesota
    • “There is a concern that this may become the dominant strain across much of the United States by March,” said Ehresmann.
• To maximize benefits of a mask, visit CDC tips

Q&A Session and Notes:

• “We are in a race against time,” said Malcolm, noting the concern of the spread of variants. MDH has said it’s vaccines racing against the variants.
• Malcolm said there needs to be quantification of vaccination efforts to make sure no areas are underrepresented
• On travel to escape Minnesota cold: “As tempting as it is, especially with these temperatures, it’s still really not a great idea to travel,” said Malcolm.
  • Discretionary travel is “dangerous in terms of what it can do for transmission across the country,” said Ehresmann.
  • “The more transmissions there is, the more opportunities there are for mutations,” said Ehresmann.
• Malcolm said MDH awaiting additional federal guidance to determine logical next steps in state’s vaccination efforts, “immunizing for impact.”
• Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s highest-ranking infectious-disease expert, predicts April could be “open season” for vaccine supply. “That would be really, really welcome news,” said Malcolm.
  • Ehresmann doesn’t see PPE supplies as a hindrance to increasing vaccinations. The vaccine shortage is more the issue, she said.
  • Minnesota’s health care system has the capacity to vaccinate 400,000 people a week, said Ehresmann, meaning 24 million doses of vaccine would have to be distributed across the country every week.
• “The supply [of vaccine] still is pretty small,” said Malcolm, of the 80,000+ doses the state currently receives weekly. “We do expect that that supply to ramp up incrementally.” She expects the vaccine finder tool to become more useful as supply increases.

Brooklyn Center | Brooklyn Park | Champlin | Crystal | Golden Valley | Maple Grove | New Hope | Osseo | Plymouth | Robbinsdale | Rogers | Twin Cities | Wayzata