(FOX 9) - Minnesota health officials reported 1,598 new cases of COVID-19 and 43 additional deaths Thursday.
There have now been 4419,935 cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Minnesota since the first infection was reported in the state in March, according to the latest Minnesota Department of Health data. More than 95% of the state’s cases have recovered to the point they no longer require isolation.
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The 1,598 newly reported cases were on volume of 36,678 tests—a positivity rate of 4.4%. Minnesota 7-day moving average positivity rate is 4.9%.
Minnesota has averaged 1,725 new COVID-19 cases a day over the last week.
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Twenty-three of the 43 deaths reported on Thursday were in the Twin Cities metro, while the rest were in Greater Minnesota.
Twenty-three of the people who died were residents in long-term care or assisted living facilities and two lived in group homes or residential behavioral health facilities. To date, over 71% of the state’s deaths have been in long-term care or assisted living facilities.
Four of the deaths were people in their 50s while the rest were people 60 years old or older.
Hospitalizations for COVID-19 are continuing their downward trend in Minnesota after peaking at 1,865 on Nov. 29. There are currently 645 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Minnesota, 131 of whom are in the ICU.