(FOX 9) - Nearly 61% of eligible Minnesotans have received at least a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and about 50% are fully vaccinated, the latest state health department data shows.
Minnesota has administered over 4.6 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to date.
The county by county vaccination rates range from 36% of Minnesotans age 16 and older with a first dose in Benton County in central Minnesota to 79% in Cook County in the northeastern part of the state. In the state’s two largest counties, Hennepin and Ramsey, 70% and 68% respectively.
Gov. Tim Walz has pledged to end Minnesota's statewide indoor mask mandate once the state reaches a 70% vaccination rate or by July 1, whichever comes first.
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One of the first coronavirus patients in Minnesota recounts experience
She was one of the first coronavirus patients in the state. She discussed what that was like and why she is hoping people get vaccinated.
Meanwhile, MDH reported 919 new COVID-19 cases and 15 more deaths on Wednesday, one of which was in a long-term care facility. Minnesota has seen 590,436 COVID-19 cases and 7,255 deaths attributed to the disease since the pandemic began.
The 919 newly reported cases were out of 21,351 tests, a 4.3% positivity rate. Minnesota’s seven-day rolling average positivity rate, a lagging indicator, is at 5.9%. Anything over 5% is a concern for MDH.
Eight of the 15 deaths reported on Monday were in the seven-county Twin Cities metro. Three of the people who died were under the age of 65.