Hospitalizations for COVID-19 continue to rise amid signs of growing spread of the novel coronavirus that causes the infectious disease.

The Minnesota Department of Health on Monday reported three COVID-19 deaths and 982 newly confirmed infections in 76 of the states's 87 counties. That brings the totals in the pandemic to 2,083 deaths and 104,799 known infections.

The state on Monday also reported a total of 403 hospital admissions for COVID-19 in the seven-day period ending Sept. 29. The rate of hospital admissions per 100,000 people per week has increased to 7.3, according to the state's COVID-19 pandemic response dashboard. That is an increase from a rate of 4.7 on Sept. 15, and is above the state's target goal of no more than four.

Three deaths reported Monday involved people 80 or older. Age remains a significant risk factor for severe COVID-19 illness, with people 70 and older making up more than 80% of the state's deaths.

Most infections result in mild or no symptoms, with 94,416 people with known infections recovering to the point they are no longer considered risks for spreading the virus.

Health officials have been concerned that a late summer surge in confirmed infections, even among healthier young adults and teenagers, could result in the eventual spread of the virus to older and more vulnerable populations.

Free COVID-19 testing was available last month at the Abubakar As-saddique Islamic Center in Minneapolis. (Shari L. Gross/Minneapolis Star Tribune/TNS) ORG XMIT: 1786832

The positivity rate of diagnostic testing remains above the 5% threshold that state health officials consider a sign for broadening spread of the virus. The rate of infections coming from unknown community sources also has risen back to 36%, meaning that the virus is spreading beyond the state's ability to track and contain it. The state goal is for that rate to be no higher than 30%.

Minnesota has been classified as having "uncontrolled spread" of the SARS-CoV-2 virus behind the pandemic by the COVID Exit Strategy website. That is based on the state's average rate of 180 newly confirmed infections per million people a day over the past week. Rates remain substantially elevated in all border states, with North Dakota having the nation's highest new infection rate of 530. Wisconsin and South Dakota each have rates above 400.

Jeremy Olson • 612-673-7744