With the number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in Minnesota decreasing lately, the state’s case positivity rate has finally dropped below 10% for the first time in nearly two months.

The state today reported 27 new COVID-19 related deaths along with 1,853 new coronavirus cases.

There were three deaths reported in the Lakeland viewing area:

• One person from Crow Wing County between the ages of 80 and 84
• One person from Itasca County between the ages of 60 and 64
• One person from Mille Lacs County between the ages of 70 and 74

The seven-day rolling average for case positivity has gone below 10% and is now under the “high risk” threshold, something that has not been seen since Dec. 25. It is now at 9.9%, down from 13.5% a week ago. Case growth is at 45.2 new cases per 100,000 people, down from 76.9 cases per 100,000 people a week ago.

There are currently 808 people hospitalized for COVID-19 in Minnesota, a decrease of 281 from a week ago. 125 ICU beds are in use, down by 37 from a week ago.

In the Lakeland viewing area, there were 136 new cases reported in the following counties:

• Aitkin – 2
• Beltrami – 12
• Cass – 13
• Clearwater – 4
• Crow Wing – 12
• Hubbard – 12
• Itasca – 14
• Koochiching – 5
• Lake of the Woods – 1
• Mahnomen – 14
• Mille Lacs – 7
• Morrison – 14
• Polk – 4
• Roseau – 1
• Todd – 16
• Wadena – 5

By — Lakeland News