Underlying health conditions linked to 98.8% of COVID-19 deaths in Minnesota

(FOX 9) - State health officials say 98.8 percent of the Minnesotans who have died of COVID-19 had underlying health conditions.

Of the reported deaths, 493 have had underlying conditions and 6 have not had underlying conditions. An additional 164 deaths are still under review and have yet to be determined. 

Underlying conditions is a broad category, including diabetes and obesity. 

The Minnesota Department of Health reported 25 new confirmed deaths from COVID-19 Thursday, bringing the state's death toll from the disease to 663. For the second day in a row, a person under 40 was among the Minnesotans who died, a Polk County resident in their 30s. That person is thought to have had significant underlying health conditions, according to Minnesota Department of Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm. 

For the first time, Minnesota has more than 200 COVID-19 patients in the intensive care unit. As of Thursday, there are currently 498 COVID-19 patients in the hospital, with 203 of them in the ICU.