Contact tracing has reduced the number of COVID-19 cases from unknown sources to the state goal of 30%, according to updated figures published Tuesday on Minnesota's pandemic response dashboard.
The progress in tracking the origins of COVID-19, which is caused by infection with a novel coronavirus, means that Minnesota health officials have better chances of identifying and containing hot spots of disease transmission.
Cases of community transmission that couldn't be traced to a source had increased from 10% on April 24 to 34% on June 8, but declined to 30% on June 14. The figures are averages for case determinations made in the seven days before those dates.
The state is now meeting four of its five dashboard goals, which are used to assess whether restrictions on businesses and social mobility can be dialed back amid the pandemic.
The Minnesota Department of Health on Tuesday reported 9 deaths and 245 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the totals in the pandemic to 1,393 deaths and 33,469 cases. Six of the newly reported deaths involved residents of long-term care or assisted living facilities, bringing the death toll in that population to 1,101.
The median age of known COVID-19 cases dropped to 40.4 years, state health officials reported on Monday, but more than nine in 10 deaths still involve people who are elderly or have underlying health conditions such as diabetes, asthma or diseases of the lungs, heart, kidneys or immune system.
The number of Minnesotans hospitalized due to COVID-19 increased for the second consecutive day. As of Tuesday morning, 339 Minnesotans were hospitalized, including 158 who needed intensive care.
The total is well below the peak of 606 people hospitalized on May 28, but the increase adds to concerns for state health officials of a second wave of COVID-19 cases following the relaxation of restrictions on June 10 and the reopening of social gathering spots such as restaurants, entertainment venues and fitness clubs.