Minnesota reported two deaths and 546 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Minnesota Department of Health update released Friday. The number of cases have fallen statewide from a peak in January, when the state was reported more than 6,000 new infections a day.
As the Omicron variant of the coronavirus continues to recede, the number of cases of COVID-19 has dropped dramatically statewide and in west central Minnesota. Two months ago, the number of daily new cases topped 10,000. Friday, fewer than 500 new cases were reported.
The total of newly reported COVID-19 cases in 11 west central Minnesota counties fell below 100 this week, and only two deaths were reported. Only two of the 11 counties reported new cases in each of the five days of state reports.
Nearly 65,000 cases of COVID-19 were recorded in Minnesota, and 205 deaths were reported in the past week as the omicron variant spreads around the state. Hospitals continue to operate at or near capacity with ICU beds in limited supply.