924 more COVID-19 cases, 13 more deaths in Minnesota

Thirteen more people have died of COVID-19 in Minnesota, health officials reported Saturday.

The Minnesota Department of Health reported a net increase of 924 new confirmed coronavirus infections, according to a data release on Saturday morning.

That brings the total number of cases confirmed in Minnesota to 88,721. Statewide, the pandemic's toll reached 1,963 deaths.

Residents of long-term care and assisted-living facilities accounted for eight of the newly announced deaths, which came on a volume of about 1.8 million completed tests.

The newly reported deaths occurred among people ranging in age from 70 to 94. St. Louis and Hennepin counties reported four deaths apiece, Ramsey County two, and Le Sueur, Scott and Sherburne counties reported one apiece.

The latest numbers show 241 patients were hospitalized, compared with 250 on Friday; 134 patients required intensive care, compared with 136 on Friday. Daily tallies for hospitalized patients in Minnesota have been trending down or holding steady in recent weeks.

COVID-19 is a viral respiratory illness caused by a new coronavirus that surfaced late last year. Since the first case was reported in Minnesota in early March, 7,124 people have been hospitalized.

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. The illness usually causes mild or moderate sickness and many cases lack symptoms.

Numbers released Saturday show health care workers have accounted for 9,515 cases statewide. A total of 80,407 Minnesotans who were infected with the novel coronavirus no longer need to be in isolation.