COVID-19 deaths surpass 500

(St. Paul, MN) – Another 23 deaths pushed Minnesota’s COVID-19 death count past 500, according to state heath officials.

The Minnesota Department of Health’s Thursday data says 508 people have now died from the virus since the first confirmed COVID-19 death on March 21.

Eight fewer people are hospitalized Thursday than the previous day, but intensive care hospitalizations rose by two, for a total of 182.

There are now 9,365 people who have tested positive for COVID-19.  Of those infected with the virus, 5,308 no longer need to be isolated.  The number of completed tests continues to increase, but has not yet met the benchmark of 5,000.

Nobles County, where an outbreak closed down the JBS meat processing plant, reports 71 new positive cases of the virus, for a total of 1,153.

County totals in southern Minnesota:

Blue Earth – 55
Brown – 9 (1 death)
Cottonwood – 43
Faribault – 7
Filmore – 12 (1 death)
Freeborn – 39
Jackson – 29
Le Sueur – 28
Martin – 111 (4 deaths)
Mower – 36
Nicollet – 18 (2 deaths)
Redwood – 3
Renville – 6
Rice – 48 (1 death)
Sibley – 2
Steele – 37
Waseca – 12
Watonwan – 18