COVID cases edge lower, but hospitalizations rise

Oct. 13, 2021

Minnesota’s summer-fall COVID-19 surge stubbornly refuses to retreat, although the newest numbers offer some signs conditions may be starting to plateau.

Known, active cases appear to be flattening — the count is high at 21,605, but that’s the lowest it’s been since Tuesday of last week. Newly reported cases came in at 2,388 on Wednesday, the lowest daily count in two weeks.

Hospitalizations, however, continue to rise, putting more pressure on the state’s short-staffed care systems. There are 990 people in Minnesota hospitals now with COVID, with 260 needing intensive care — the highest counts so far in 2021.

There are more COVID patients hospitalized in greater Minnesota than in the Twin Cities region, continuing a pattern that emerged last week.

The rate of tests coming back positive, which stayed relatively stable through the spring and early summer, has been edging higher over the past weeks.

The seven-day average is running at more than 7 percent — higher than the 5 percent officials find concerning — although Wednesday’s seven-day rate was down a tick from Tuesday.