Following weeks of rising cases, Minnesota's rate of new COVID-19 infections is now the highest in the nation, and more than 95% of the state's available inpatient hospital beds are filled with patients.Late last week, 1,282 people were hospitalized with the virus in the state, including 311 in intensive care units.
The positivity rate is 9.7%, nearing last December's pandemic peak of 10%.The Upper Midwest may be on the verge of a new surge of COVID-19 cases, as cold weather sets in and waning immunity from vaccines leads to more breakthrough infections.
In Michigan COVID-19 hospitalizations surpassed 3,000 for the first time in 6 months amid a fourth surge in infections, the Associated Press reports.According to the New York Times,