Coronavirus infections have risen again above the high-risk threshold in Minnesota, but health officials hope immunity levels against COVID-19 will limit the number of cases that lead to hospitalization or death.
For the first time in two months, Minnesota has identified more than 1,000 infections a day, despite the growing popularity of home rapid tests for the COVID-19 antigen, which are not included in government estimates. The 1,003 infections among the samples collected on April 13 brought the number of COVID-19 cases in Minnesota to 12 per 100,000 population, above the threshold of 10, indicating a significant spread of the virus.
People are eager to get out of the pandemic, but still need to take precautions, such as keeping up with vaccinations and wearing masks on public transport – whether it is mandatory or not, said Dr. Dimitri Drekonya, a specialist in infectious diseases from Minneapolis, Virginia. Medical Center.
“[The] the message needs to shift from “moving forward” to “we are better, but we are still at risk and we can be better,” he said in a social media post.
Hospitalizations have already increased in response to the change in the number of infected from 183 on April 10 to 215 on Wednesday. However, only 24 of the COVID-19 hospitalizations require intensive care, and this daily number has been declining since mid-December.
Minnesota reported three more deaths from COVID-19 on Thursday, but the death toll has not increased in response to the recent rise in infections. Vaccinations and unprecedented infections during the January COVID-19 omicron wave left many Minnesota residents with at least temporary immunity, reducing the risk of serious illness.
Recurrences have also increased in the last two weeks, indicating that immunity may decline. There were 119 reinfections identified by samples collected on 13 April – more than 1 in 10 of the COVID-19 cases identified on that date. In total, more than 1.4 million known infections in Minnesota include 64,260 re-infections. The death toll from COVID-19 in the state is 12,482.
Coronavirus subvariant BA.2 remains responsible for the small but steady increase in COVID-19 activity in Minnesota over the past month. BA.2 was found in 84% of the positive COVID-19 samples analyzed by genomic sequencing in the week ending April 9, according to the Minnesota Department of Health, released Wednesday. This is an increase of 61% a week earlier.
Sewage sampling in twin cities has also revealed an increasing amount of viral material and that more of it consists of BA.2. The updated results from the Sofia Wastewater Treatment Plant are expected on Friday.
Vaccination activity against COVID-19 increased in Minnesota, where 71,962 doses were given in the week beginning April 10, an increase of 17,511 in the week beginning March 20.
However, the state remains stuck at 49 percent of Minnesota residents aged 5 and over who are up to date with the COVID-19 vaccination – meaning they have recently completed the initial series or received planned boosters to maintain immunity. .
The increase in vaccine use is largely among people receiving a second booster, which was approved by federal authorities late last month. Second boosters are allowed for people who are 50 years old or older, have a weakened immune system or have received only …
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