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St. Paul, MN (KROC-AM News) - The number of people being treated for COVID-19 in Minnesota intensive care units is the lowest it has been since last spring.

Statistics provided by the state show 57 ICU beds across the state were being used by COVID-19 patients on Monday. The state’s COVID dashboard tracks the statistic back to June 9th when the number of hospitalizations began dropping after the initial surge of infections at the beginning of the pandemic. Overall, 315 people were hospitalized due to COVID in Minnesota on Monday. That’s the lowest that number has been since September 21st.

The Minnesota Department of Health today reported only two coronavirus-related deaths throughout the state. 456 new cases were reported statewide including eight new infections found in Olmsted County, where the number of active cases has dropped below 200 for the first time since last fall. The testing total for Monday was below 7700 and the daily testing positivity rate was about 5.9 percent.

Minnesota health officials say over 925,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered to state residents. Just over 686,000 have received at least one dose and over 240,000 have had both shots. In Olmsted County, 37,530 people have had at least one dose of the vaccine, which is just over 24 percent of the population.

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LOOK: Answers to 30 common COVID-19 vaccine questions

While much is still unknown about the coronavirus and the future, what is known is that the currently available vaccines have gone through all three trial phases and are safe and effective. It will be necessary for as many Americans as possible to be vaccinated in order to finally return to some level of pre-pandemic normalcy, and hopefully these 30 answers provided here will help readers get vaccinated as soon they are able.

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