COVID-19 deaths were reported in two southern Minnesota counties Wednesday, as the state adds seven more to the pandemic death toll.

Both deaths involved a victim in their 70’s, according to MDH. It’s the 46th death of the pandemic in Blue Earth County; the 29th in Le Sueur County. Six of the Wednesday’s deaths involved private residents, while the seventh was a person in residential behavioral health. Minnesota’s death toll rose to 7,782.

Hospitalizations are up from the previous day, with 576 patients currently hospitalized. That’s 29 more hospitalizations than yesterday. That number also includes patients who require intensive care. There are 160 patients in ICU currently, according to MDH’s daily update, up seven from the previous report.

Additionally, the state reported 1,404 new infections. Here are the counties in Southern Minnesota reporting new cases:

Blue Earth – 13 (1 probable)
Brown – 5
Cottonwood – 3
Faribault – 1
Freeborn – 16
Le Sueur – 6
Martin – 1
Mower – 16
Murray – 1 (3 probable)
Nicollet – 7
Redwood – 4
Renville – 4
Rice – 29 (2 probable)
Sibley – 6
Waseca – 4
Watonwan – 1

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