MN Health Officials Discuss COVID-19 Impact on Those Older or Vulnerable

There’s no question that COVID-19 is adversely impacting older people and vulnerable people. Most of those who have died had underlying health conditions, including hypertension, chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes, and kidney disease.

So far in Minnesota, there have been 22 people under the age of 40 who have died with COVID-19, and 1,849 people ages 60 or older who have died. But about one quarter of all COVID-19 cases have been in people in their 20s. The concern is that while many of those cases may not affect those people in that age group, it increases the likelihood that the virus could be passed on to someone who is more vulnerable.

2,015 people in Minnesota have died with COVID-19. About 72% of all COVID-19 deaths have been residents of long-term care facilities.