COVID-19 hospitalizations 64% down from April peak

Earlier today, the Minnesota Department of Health reported new 134 positive COVID-19 cases and one death. This is the lowest number of cases yet for Minnesota –– and is 92 percent lower than the number reported beginning May. But cases have generally been going down in the state. In fact, new positive cases have stayed well below 600 for a little over a week in Minnesota.

Hospitalizations have followed the same trend. After slightly peaking in April, hospitalizations in both ICU and non-ICU have trended down and are well below 300 as of the latest update. As of May 30, Minnesota had a total of 249 COVID-19 hospitalization –– 79 ICU, 170 non-ICU.

Figure: COVID-19 hospitalizations since April 1st

Source: Minnesota Department of Health

At the national level, trends of COVID-19 have also been largely positive, possibly a signal that the country could be nearing the end of the crisis. According to data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, seven-day moving average numbers have dropped 76 percent for cases, and 42 percent for deaths since the April peak.

One of the biggest contributors to this trend is probably increased vaccination rates. At both the nation and state level, more 60 percent of adults have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.