Age Structure Charts, February 10

As it appears we are winding down, an update set of age structure charts shows the fall in events across age groups.  The increase in “reported” ICU admissions appears to be one of DOH’s processing lag issues.  See also the increase in hospitalizations and deaths proportionately in the elderly.  Boosters are not making much difference.  Dave’s notes:

1.  There are 2 slides for each set of data, one showing data for the whole pandemic and a second chart showing only data since early July, 2021. Note that the full pandemic slides have different start dates, because  the Minnesota Department of Health started publishing different data on different dates. This week the shorter time period chart of each pair has been started 4 weeks later than previously.

2. The data for the charts on testing, hospital admissions, and deaths comes from the Minnesota Weekly Report (available here: https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/stats/index.html). The data in the Weekly Report is presented as cumulative totals for each data type each week. I am taking weekly differences and assembling the data into charts. This data is by date of report, meaning the charts are documenting new events reported this week, even though the underlying event occurred sometime in the past. The data is provided for 5 year age groups, and I am assembling into 10 year age groups to make the charts more readable.

3. The data for the Covid cases per week come from a data file published along with the Minnesota Weekly Report, here: https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/stats/index.html#wagscd1 This data is published by date of specimen collection, rather than by date of report as the other data is. The data is provided as cases per week in 5 year age groups. I am compiling the data into 10 year age groups in order for the charts to be more readable. This data is updated by date of specimen collection, so it is possible that past week’s data will be updated.

4. Fig. 1 and 2: Covid Tests Per Week. Reported testing is moderately lower this week for all age groups.

5. Fig. 3 and 4: Covid Cases Per Week. The reported Covid cases this week were sharply lower this week in all age groups, for the fourth week in a row. Total cases for the week were reported as 22,297, a 43% decrease from last week’s revised total of 39,215 cases.

6. Fig. 5 and 6: ICU Covid Admissions Per Week. Reported ICU Covid admissions were mixed this week, with large increases in the 50-59 and 80+ age groups, and a small increase in the 60-69 age group. Reported total ICU admissions for the week were 179, an increase of 17 from the 162 reported ICU admissions the prior week.

7.  Fig. 7 and 8: Non-ICU Covid Admissions Per Week. Reported Non-ICU Covid admissions were lower this week in every age group. Total Non-ICU Covid admissions for the week were 994 a decrease of 234 admissions from the prior week.

8.  Fig. 9 and 10: Covid Deaths Per Week. Total reported Covid deaths for the week were 200, a decrease of 22 from the 222 reported deaths the week before.