COVID-19: Minnesota logs 72 deaths, matching record set last week, including 8 in tri-county

Another 72 Minnesotans died from COVID-19 — matching the daily record set Nov. 19, according to data reported Wednesday from the Minnesota Department of Health. 

That includes eight tri-county residents: one Sherburne County resident in their 80s, two Benton County residents in their 80s, and five Stearns County residents between the ages of 70 and 99. 

The new deaths linked to COVID-19 included a Ramsey County resident in their early 40s and three residents older than 100. The state's death toll is now 3,375. 

The state gained 6,339 COVID-19 cases Wednesday for a new total of 289,303 since the pandemic began in March. 

Locally, Benton County saw 98 new cases, Sherburne County saw 163 new cases and Stearns County saw 373 new cases. 

The case and death totals for the tri-county areas are now:

• Benton County —  2,786 cases, 42 deaths
• Sherburne County —  5,386 cases, 40 deaths
• Stearns County — 12,910 cases, 98 deaths

Nearly 2.4 million Minnesotans have been tested for COVID-19; of those who have tested positive, more than 240,000 no longer require isolation.

The state has conducted nearly 4 million tests since the start of the pandemic.

MORE: Walz unveils COVIDaware MN app that anonymously alerts users of COVID-19 exposure

The health department will not release new data on Thursday due to the Thanksgiving holiday. Updates will resume Friday with data from Wednesday. 

Data posted Saturday will include data from two days — Thursday and Friday — so newly reported case and death numbers will likely appear greater than a typical day. 

Globally, there are nearly 60 million cases of COVID-19, including 12.6 million in the U.S., according to Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Research Center. More than 1.4 million have died of the infection worldwide, including more than 260,000 people in the U.S.

Jenny Berg is the cities and schools reporter for the St. Cloud Times. Reach her at 320-259-3680 or jberg@stcloudtimes.com. Follow her on Twitter @bergjenny.

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