Minnesota is reporting 51 new deaths and more than 6,200 new coronavirus cases, according to state Department of Health figures released Saturday morning.
The state's one-day count of 6,265 new cases came on a very high volume of about 52,025 newly completed tests.
Since the pandemic arrived in Minnesota in March, the state's pandemic tallies include 262,952 positive cases, 14,745 hospitalizations and 3,201 deaths.
Residents of long-term care and assisted-living facilities accounted for 31 of the newly announced deaths, and 2,192 deaths since the start of the pandemic.
With the latest numbers, an average of about 13.5% of reported tests have been positive over the past week, according to the Star Tribune's coronavirus tracker.
The latest report continues a recent trend of high readings for the "positivity rate" across the state — a sign that case increases are not simply a function of more testing, doctors say.
Last Saturday, the seven-day average positivity rate was 14.9%. The reading was just 6.5% four weeks ago.
Minnesota does not update its dashboard for hospital capacity on weekends, but the Star Tribune tracker shows 283 new admissions reported Saturday — last week, the comparable figure was 271, and it was 201 new admissions two weeks ago. Daily reports of new admissions typically include patients who have entered the hospital at some point over the last several days — not just on the most recent day.
Numbers released Saturday show health care workers have accounted for 20,018 positive cases. More than 211,000 people who were infected no longer need to be isolated.
COVID-19 is a viral respiratory illness caused by a new coronavirus that surfaced late last year. People at greatest risk include those 65 and older, residents of long-term care facilities and those with underlying medical conditions.
Those health problems range from lung disease and serious heart conditions to severe obesity and diabetes. People undergoing treatment for failing kidneys also run a greater risk, as do those with cancer and other conditions where treatments suppress immune systems.
Most patients with COVID-19 don't need to be hospitalized. Most illnesses involve mild or moderate symptoms; many cases are asymptomatic.
Christopher Snowbeck • 612-673-4744
