Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Minnesota recorded a record number of new COVID-19  cases and deaths on Friday as the virus continues to spread across the state.

The Minnesota Department of Health stated there were 5,454 new cases, increasing the total confirmed cases in the state to 170,307. This was the first day new cases were above 4,000.

More than 30,000 cases remain active, and 1,o38 people are hospitalized, including 224 in intensive care.

The state also reported 36 new deaths, breaking a record for daily deaths, which had previously been 35. The people who died came from 20 counties across the state and ranged in age from early 40s to over 100. Twenty-three of the people resided in long-term care or assisted living facilities, and one lived in a group home or residential behavioral health facility. The 36 deaths are the most in a single day reported by the state since the pandemic began.

The state has now had 2,591 total deaths since the beginning of the pandemic, of which 1,800 resided in long-term care or assisted living facilities.

Friday’s case total marks the fourth day in a row the state has broken its single-day record, shattering the previous day’s total by more than 1,000 cases as Minnesota continues to see explosive case growth in the past week. State health officials and hospitals statewide are bracing for more hospitalizations, which is a lagging indicator that usually follows case growth.

According to data compiled by Johns Hopkins researchers, the 7-day rolling average of daily new cases in Minnesota has risen over the past two weeks from 1,578 on Oct. 22 to 3,222 on Nov. 5.

The updated numbers bring Minnesota’s totals to 170,307 cases and 2,591 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

Freeborn County reported 29 new cases, increasing its total count to 839. The county now has 127 active cases, and five people are hospitalized, according to the Freeborn County Public Health Department.

The new cases included the following:

• Six people between 10 and 20

• Four people in their 20s

• Four people in their 30s

• Five people in their 40s

• Three people in their 50s

• Four people in their 60s

• Three people in their 70s

The following were updates from other area counties:

• Faribault County: 10 new cases, 295 total cases

• Mower County: 26 new cases, 1,647 total cases

• Steele County: 37 new cases, 955 total cases

• Waseca County: 12 new cases, 995 total cases

The state reported 45,769 new tests were completed, including 44,749 PCR tests and 1,020 antigen tests.