Thank you for being a reader of MinnPost’s weekly COVID-19 updates. In this newsletter, we’ve sought to provide you with the information you need to know about COVID-19 in a simple format: news, numbers and how to understand them.
We’re ending this newsletter now — even amid another rise in cases; Over the last two years, readers have gotten good at understanding this stuff themselves, and there are lots of places you can go to get the information you need.
The pandemic isn’t over, and we’re not done covering it. But as far as this newsletter goes, in the words of Kris Kristofferson, let’s try it once more with feeling and we’ll call it a day. -Greta
This week in COVID-19 news
Statewide, COVID-19 case numbers are up from last week, which were up from the week before.
The amount of COVID-19 detected in Twin Cities wastewater is up too, but may not be rising at as fast a rate as it was for much of last month, per Metropolitan Council data. The most recent wastewater data from non-metro regions of the state suggest a continued rise, too.
Bookmark this page for Met Council data, which includes COVID-19 levels and variants in wastewater. This page has levels for different state regions.
Continuing a trend we’ve been seeing for some weeks, ICU hospitalizations in Minnesota are flat, but non-ICU hospitalizations continue to rise.
The Met Council has detected the BA.2.12.1 variant — another omicron subvariant that appears to be even more transmissible than BA.2 “stealth” omicron — in Twin Cities wastewater, according to spokesperson Bonnie Kollodge. She said the new variant has the potential to overtake BA.2. More on that variant here.
Amid the rise in cases, Minneapolis again recommended wearing masks indoors.
In national news, New York City moved into a medium COVID risk category Tuesday as the BA.2 omicron variant drives a rise in cases. Hospitalizations and deaths remain low, the New York Times reported.
Cases
Data from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) show the state added 9,203 new COVID-19 cases between April 27 and May 3, averaging 1,314 new cases per day — up from last week, which saw an average of 1,287 cases per day.
To follow daily COVID-19 case counts, bookmark MinnPost’s COVID-19 dashboard, which we will continue to update.
Deaths and hospitalizations
Minnesota has reported 18 COVID-19 deaths since last Wednesday. Last week, the state reported 19 deaths. (Deaths did not necessarily occur in the week in which they were reported because deaths are not always reported and confirmed immediately.)
Our dashboard also tracks daily deaths.
COVID-19 ICU hospitalizations remain flat compared to last week, while non-ICU hospitalizations have risen. As of Tuesday, 22 people are in intensive care with COVID-19, while 283 are hospitalized and not in intensive care. Last Tuesday, 20 individuals were in intensive care and 235 were hospitalized and not in intensive care.
Minnesota’s COVID-19 hospitalization data is updated daily. Bookmark this page to check the most recent numbers.
Vaccines
The most recent data show 66.5 percent of Minnesotans had completed a COVID-19 primary vaccine series, while 45.9 were up-to-date on their shots (meaning they have completed the primary series and received a booster if recommended). A week ago, those numbers were the same.
This week on MinnPost
- MinnPost’s COVID-19 dashboard
Thanks for this column to Greta and other MinnPost staff who’ve kept us informed about COVID these past two years.
Thank you MinnPost and Greta and all involved in bringing clarity these many difficult months. You have provided an anchor of much-needed clarity in a sea of unnecessarily political garbage.
Again, thank you.
At the risk of repetition, thank you