Four COVID-19 deaths and 862 infections with the coronavirus that causes the respiratory disease were reported by Minnesota health officials on Friday.
The daily numbers bring Minnesota's totals in the pandemic to 1,810 deaths and 73,240 known infections. The Minnesota Department of Health on Friday also reported that 301 people with COVID-19 were hospitalized, including 137 people who required intensive care due to breathing problems or other complications from infections.
The four newly reported deaths all involved people 70 and older — who in total have made up only 9% of known infections but 80% of COVID-19 deaths. The state had reported 27 deaths combined in the prior two days.
Case growth and hospitalizations have leveled off in Minnesota in August after increasing in July. The state's one-day peak had been 606 hospitalizations on May 28, but that number had dropped to 227 on July 10 before increasing again.
The state since the start of the pandemic has reported a total 6,357 COVID-19 hospitalizations, and 65,204 people who have recovered from their infections to the point that they are no longer considered infection risks or required to isolate themselves.
Health officials are hopeful that a leveling off of COVID-19 activity — which has at least coincided with a statewide mask mandate that went into effect in July — will continue. However, they are concerned that outbreaks following the reopening of K-12 schools and colleges could cause an increase in viral activity again.
The state has urged college students to avoid large group gatherings for two weeks before returning to campus to increase their chances of arriving virus-free.
The state has reported 254 confirmed infections associated with colleges or universities since Aug. 17. Of those infections, 90 involved students or staff who were infectious while on campus. The state also reported that 51 colleges have reported at least one case in the last two weeks, and that seven colleges have reported five or more cases.
