Minnesota reached 757 patients hospitalized due to COVID-19 on Friday — the highest figure of 2021 so far as the more contagious delta variant strains hospital capacity statewide.

The total includes 230 patients in intensive care, which is the most the state has seen since late December 2020. 

Intensive care capacity has been around 95% statewide in recent weeks according to state hospital capacity data. More than 74% of Minnesotans have received at least one dose of the vaccine. 

World leaders returned to the United Nations for the first time in two years on Tuesday with a diplomacy-packed agenda of escalating crises to tackle, including the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change.

The three most closely watched speakers on Tuesday morning are expected to be U.S. President Joe Biden, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Iran’s recently elected President Ebrahim Raisi.

St. Thomas’ Center for Well-Being reported 18 positive COVID-19 cases during the second week of classes.

Sixteen cases were students and two were employees. All 18 cases came from the St. Paul campus. The Center for Well-Being also reported that St. Thomas currently has an 87.6% vaccination rate.

As of Sept. 20, 92% of university employees are vaccinated and 86.6% of students are vaccinated.