MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Minnesota reported 510 newly confirmed coronavirus cases Wednesday and 33 new deaths.
The new statistics from the Minnesota Department of Health raised the state’s confirmed COVID-19 death toll to 932 and its confirmed total of positive cases to 22,464.
The department also reported one new probable but unconfirmed COVID-19 death to raise the state’s total 10.
The department said 598 people were hospitalized as of Wednesday, up 28 from Tuesday with 260 in intensive car,e a new one-day high that was up two from Tuesday.
While the growing demand for ICU beds has pushed some Twin Cities hospitals close to capacity at times, the department’s infectious disease director, Kris Ehresmann, told reporters Tuesday that it’s not surprising for this stage of the pandemic.
The state’s COVID-19 dashboard on Wednesday showed that 80% of the state’s 1,257 ICU beds were in use, with a surge capacity of 585 more within 24 hours and another 541 within 72 hours. Ehresmann said it’s not unusual for ICU beds to be 95% full in the flu season.
