Minnesota reports daily record for COVID-19 vaccinations

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota health officials on Sunday reported a daily record for COVID-19 vaccinations, with nearly 70,000 new doses administered in the last day.

It was the second straight day that that a new high of vaccinations was recorded, after about 56,000 doses were given out on Saturday. The state has been working to catch up on doses after delays in supply caused by bad weather around the country.

More than 47,000 of the newly reported vaccinations were initial doses.

Minnesota averaged more than 34,000 vaccinations a day over the past week, the highest numbers since immunizations began in December. At that pace, about 80 percent of state residents would be able to get a shot by August, Minnesota Public Radio News reported.

The vaccinations should continue to increase with the newly approved Johnson & Johnson vaccine slated to arrive in states next week. The J&J vaccine only requires one dose.

State health officials on Sunday reported 813 new COVID-19 cases, along with eight new deaths due to the coronavirus. The update increases the number of positive tests to 484,594 and the number of fatalities to 6,483 since the start of the pandemic.