4-6 COVID-19 Update: Minnesota’s 7-day Case Rate Climbs to 6%, Highest Since Jan. 8
4-6 COVID-19 Update from Minnesota Department of Health
The Minnesota Department of Health provided the latest public health information regarding COVID-19 vaccines, variants and testing Tuesday, April 6, at 2 p.m.
You can watch the full briefing here. The following is a recap, including some other noteworthy items.
MDH Commissioner Jan Malcolm:
- In Minnesota, 530,662 cases since start of pandemic (up 3,014 — NOTE: this higher total is due to Easter holiday and a technical issue on Saturday)
- MDH has reported more than 2,000 new cases for three consecutive days, the first time it has done so in more than two months.
- Additional reporting issue on Monday will also likely contribute to a lower Tuesday total, Malcolm said. Didn’t receive results from external lab.
- In Minnesota, 6,889 deaths since pandemic began (up 4)
- State’s 7-day rolling average case rate has climbed to 6%, highest since Jan. 8. This is also a full percentage point higher than prior week. MDH considers 5% the “caution threshold.”
- Case rate per 100,000 has trended up for 25 consecutive days, said Malcolm.
- “We’re definitely not out of the woods yet,” said Malcolm.
Latest on COVID-19 Vaccines:
- As of April 4 (latest reported data), 1.8 million Minnesotans have received at least one dose of vaccine. That’s 41.8% of the state’s population ages 16 and older.
- 82.7% of people age 65+ have received at least one dose.
- State-run vaccinations at Minnesota State Fairgrounds begin April 14.
- 3,000 doses administered daily for eight weeks (includes first and second doses). These doses will be in addition to state’s regular federal allocation.
- These doses serve Minnesotans living in the highest Social Vulnerability Index zip codes in Ramsey and Hennepin County near the Fairgrounds.
- Zip codes in Ramsey and Hennepin County include: 55454, 55103, 55130, 55411, 55404, 55117, 55428, 55119, 55107, 55106, 55407, 55430, 55412, 55102, 55429, 55421, 55104, 55114, 55432, 55118, 55420, 55413, 55402, 55109, 55406, 55423, 55415, 55405, 55408, 55425, 55112, 55111, 55403, 55101, 55344, 55435, 55113, 55458.
- Minnesotans must register for these vaccinations through Vaccine Connector or public hotline for language assistance at 1-833-431-2053.
- The site will administer a combination of Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson doses.
- MDH expects to immunize 100,000 additional people with the State Fairgrounds community vaccinations.
State Epidemiologist and MDH Medical Director Dr. Ruth Lynfield:
- Clinical trials have begun for kids. They include trials for the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.
- Pfizer trials produced “outstanding efficacy and safety” for 12 to 15-year-olds.
- Trials for the Pfizer vaccine have now begun for ages 2 to 11.
- Plans also being made down to 6 months.
- Moderna also expanding trials down to 6 months of age.
- Johnson & Johnson planning to study efficacy of its vaccine in ages 12 to 18.
Q&A Session and Notes
- Infectious disease experts, including the University of Minnesota’s Dr. Michael Osterholm, have raised concern about Minnesota seeing a “fourth surge” in cases.
- There’s concern the B.1.1.7 variant, first discovered in the U.K, spreads more rapidly among kids than original SARS-CoV-2 strain.
- Malcolm says test positivity rate is increasing in all age groups, and hospitalizations also trend up among all age groups. “That’s part of what we’re concerned about with the spread of the variants,” said Malcolm about hospitalizations trending upward.
- Lynfield says average age for hospitalization is dropping, similarly for deaths.
- March 23-29 – average age of hospitalization was 57 (average age during entire pandemic is 65).
- Medium age of death in March was 78. (For entire pandemic it was 83)
Also see: 3-25 COVID-19 Update: Minnesota Reports Largest Number of New Cases Since Jan. 9
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