COVID-19 Cases Per Day on the Rise in MN, Beltrami County Seeing Increases

The total number of COVID-19 cases per day in Minnesota is on the rise, but ICU hospitalizations from the disease have dipped to their lowest level in three months. Meanwhile, some counties like Beltrami County have seen their positive case counts go up over the past week.

Minnesota health officials announced 611 new COVID-19 cases Thursday as well as eight new deaths from the virus. The 611 new cases came from a total of 14,812 tests for a case positivity rate of 4.1%, which is actually down one half of a percentage point since yesterday. It marks the second day in a row the case positivity rate has declined after ticking upward slightly in the past week before that. The seven-day rolling average for case positivity reported Wednesday was 4.8%.

The eight deaths reported today included four people from long-term care. That’s 13 straight days of single-digit deaths and 23 of the last 25 days with single digit deaths.

249 people are currently hospitalized with COVID-19, down five from yesterday. 103 of those hospitalized are in ICU, the lowest number in ICU since April 16th and three fewer than yesterday.

In the Lakeland viewing area there were 28 new cases in the following counties:

• Aitkin County – 1
• Beltrami County – 9
• Cass County – 3
• Crow Wing County – 3
• Itasca County – 6
• Koochiching County – 3
• Polk County – 2
• Roseau County – 1

However, there is often a delay between the time counties record positive COVID-19 cases and when they appear on the Minnesota Department of Health’s website. Beltrami County has been seeing rising case counts this past week, and according to Beltrami County Public Health, here are the exact numbers starting from Saturday, July 11th:

• Saturday, July 11th and Sunday, July 12th – 6
• Monday, July 13th – 5
• Tuesday, July 14th – 5
• Wednesday, July 15th – 10
• Thursday, July 16th (as of Thursday afternoon) – 8

Since Saturday, there have officially been 28 new cases reported in Beltrami County. In comparison, about a month ago on June 12th, the county had a total of 21 cases. Three of the current cases required hospitalization, and two people remain hospitalized at this time.

Sanford Health officials tell us that their clinics and hospitals in Clearwater, Beltrami, Cass, and Hubbard Counties have essentially seen their total positives and tests double in the last week. During that time, they’ve tested 991 people and confirmed 40 positive cases for a test positivity rate of 4.0%, which is below the state average for the same time.