Minnesota Sees Lowest Single-Day Death Total Since April

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota health officials reported one new death due to the coronavirus on Monday, marking the lowest single-day total statewide since April.

The Minnesota Department of Health reported 679 new cases and the death of a patient between 70 and 74 years old in southern Minnesota, raising the statewide totals to 75,864 cases and 1,817 deaths since the pandemic began in March.

Hospitalized patients statewide totaled 306 on Monday, with 131 patients in intensive care. Hospitalizations have remained somewhat steady at around 300 since late last month, though reported deaths climbed into double digits two times last week.

While Minnesota has seen minimal growth in deaths and hospitalizations in August, new daily cases statewide have risen in recent days. The 7-day rolling average of the positivity rate in Minnesota has risen over the past two weeks from 7.2% on Aug. 16 to 9.08% on Aug. 30, according to data through August 30 from The COVID Tracking Project.