COVID-19 hospitalizations surge above 1,500 in Minnesota

[question everything]

COVID-19 hospitalizations rose above 1,500 on Monday in Minnesota, bringing the state closer to its pandemic record of 1,864 hospitalizations on the same date in 2020. Hospitals have responded by delaying some non-emergency surgeries and reducing non-COVID admissions. Total hospitalizations reached 8,220 on Nov. 17 but declined over the Thanksgiving holiday week and dropped to 7,598 Monday.

Hospital leaders said declines in hospitalizations could be temporary, though, and urged Minnesotans to reduce their risks by seeking vaccinations and taking other protective measures. "This is largely driven by hospitalizations in unvaccinated persons, by a two-to-one clip," said Dr. Mark Sannes, an infectious disease specialist leading the COVID-19 response for Bloomington-based HealthPartners. "Of that group that is vaccinated that is getting hospitalized, it's largely the elderly and those with other compromising conditions."

Minnesota ranks 22nd among the states with 73.3% of people 5 and older receiving a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but that leaves more than 1.4 million eligible people unvaccinated. Minnesota had the highest rate of infections and the eighth-highest rate of COVID-19 deaths over the past seven days among states, according to the CDC's COVID-19 data tracker. Minnesota's COVID-19 death rate is 11th lowest since the start of the pandemic, though.

(snip)

Health care workers represented by SEIU Healthcare Minnesota said Tuesday that the pandemic has exacerbated long-standing pressures in hospitals, driving workers out of the profession and making the bed shortage worse. Supportive care such as helping patients get to the bathroom and shower is being neglected because patient numbers exceed staff availability, said Emilee Greskowiak, a nursing assistant at United Hospital in St. Paul.

More..

https://www.startribune.com/covid-19-hospitalizations-surge-above-1500-in-minnesota/600122258/

[BigmanPigman]

1. 12,600 new cases today...WOW!

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/usa/minnesota/

[progree]

2. Tuesday is always a big day in Minnesota - on Tues they report Saturday-Sunday-Monday, a 3 day

total. And this time around, who knows how many of Thanksgiving Thursday and Friday are in there.

Generally, on Monday they just report Friday's numbers. But its all screwed up this time with Thanksgiving and the Friday after. Anyway, Monday Nov 29 compared to Monday Nov 22 was actually a small decrease. If it was loaded with Thanksgiving+Friday backlog, it's sure not showing.

Easiest to see the recent details with the "LAST 90 DAYS" button clicked --
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/us/minnesota-covid-cases.html
(no paywall no quota)

Unless there are still a large number of backlogged cases, I think we've peaked for awhile on the 7 day average of 4,484 on Nov 16.

I'm not predicting that's the peak for the whole winter though. Last year, though, I note that the 7 day average reached its all-time peak on November 20.

[BigmanPigman]

3. I think you're right.

It looks like the number of new cases and tests has dropped a lot but the deaths and hospitalizations are increasing. This seems to be the general outcome of Covid, with deaths picking up a few weeks after there is a new case surge.

[progree]

4. Yup on the hospitalizations and death. A bit of good news that I forgot - the positivity rate

has fallen to 10.6% from a recent peak of 11.0%. The 2nd reporting day of decline in that. I so hope we've maxxed out on that.

[question everything]

5. But the fact remains that hospitals have to delay non emergency surgeries

and non Covid admission. Just like last year except that now hospital workers are exhausted after more than a year.

[progree]

6. Yep, I'm an old guy and I'm terrorized at the prospect of needing hospitalization -- how long

will my "luck" -- of not needing hospitalization or so-called "non-essential" surgery -- hold up, I won't be healthy forever. I don't even want to think about essential surgery under these conditions.

[progree]

7. Wednesday's report: a relatively mild 3,580 cases caused 7-day average to decline slightly

Last edited Thu Dec 2, 2021, 02:44 AM - Edit history (1)

3,580 new cases compared to the Nov 16 peak 7 day average of 4,484

https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2021/12/01/covid-in-minnesota-100-new-deaths-reported-from-holiday-weekend-backlog/

So nothing indicating some big Thanksgiving weekend backlog in these numbers.

7-day positivity also notched down another 0.2% to 10.4%.

Update: with the addition of Wednesday's numbers, the 7 day moving average actually declined slightly

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/us/minnesota-covid-cases.html