Minnesota surpasses 5,000 COVID-19 deaths

(FOX 9) - More than 5,000 Minnesotans have now died from COVID-19 since the state reported its first infection in March. The state has reported 1,457 deaths in December alone. 

The Minnesota Department of Health reported 1,917 new cases of COVID-19 and 79 additional deaths attributed to the disease Friday, bringing the total number of cases to 404,403 and the death toll to 5,050. 

The 1,917 newly reported cases were out of 51,675 completed tests—a 3.7% positivity rate. 

Approximately 94.3% of the state’s cases have recovered to the point where they no longer require isolation. 

Thirty of the 79 newly reported deaths from COVID-19 were in the Twin Cities metro while the rest were in Greater Minnesota. Three of Minnesotans who died were in their 50s while the others were all 60 or older. 

Of the newly reported deaths, 53 were in long-term care or assisted living facilities. To date, approximately 71% of the Minnesotans who have died of COVID-19 lived in those types of facilities. 

Minnesota has reported an average of 56 deaths per day for over the last week, down from 66 deaths per day at this time last week. Deaths typically lag cases and hospitalizations by several weeks, according to health officials. 

Hospitalizations are continuing to decline in Minnesota. There are currently 1,048 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Minnesota, 238 of whom are in the ICU. This time last week, 1,222 people hospitalized, 289 of whom were in the ICU. 

MDH is now reporting how many people in Minnesota have been vaccinated against COVID-19. As of Wednesday, 2,999 people had received their first of two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.