MDH reports five new COVID-19 cases in Mower County; total of cumulative cases in Minnesota now exceeds 73,000

The Minnesota Department of Health reported Friday that the total number of deaths due to the COVID-19, or coronavirus has risen to 1,810, while the cumulative number of positive cases in the state now exceeds 73,000.

Health officials indicated that the state now has a total of 73,240 positive COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic, which was up 862 from 72,390 on Thursday, and the 1,810 deaths due to the virus was up four from 1,806 on Thursday, snapping a streak of two straight days with double-digit increases in the number of COVID-19 related deaths in the state.  They added that 1,333 COVID-19 related deaths thus far in Minnesota have been from cases that resided in long-term or assisted living facilities.  Mower County recorded 1,170 cumulative COVID-19 cases Friday, up five from 1,165 on Thursday, Olmsted County now has 1,977 cumulative cases, up 19 from 1,958 on Thursday and Steele County recorded 418 cases Friday, up 11 from 407 on Thursday.  Freeborn County remained at 394 cases for a second straight day, Dodge County reported 154 cases Friday, up four from 150 on Thursday and Fillmore County now has 84 cumulative COVID-19 cases, up one from 83 on Thursday.

301 patients were being hospitalized for COVID-19 in Minnesota as of Friday, which was down four from 305 on Thursday and 137 of those patients were being treated in intensive care units, which was down two from 137 on Thursday.   65,204 patients in Minnesota no longer need to be isolated.