Minnesota Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm says that the state is in its fourth COVID-19 spike.

Cases have been rising statewide. The health department reported more than 3,000 newly confirmed cases today, a figure not seen since last spring.

Minnesota's daily case count — based on a seven-day rolling average — is nearly 1,300. That's a 14-fold increase over early July.

Malcolm says 90 percent of the state's counties are in the high transmission category and the rest are in the moderate transmission category.

The commissioner says the highly contagious delta variant is driving the spike. 

"Our seven day average rate of new cases has now increased to 17.7 new cases per 100,000 people per day on that rolling average. That is up from 12.7 per 100,000 just a week ago."

Mask requirements in schools are dividing communities across Minnesota more sharply than ever as the start of classes approaches.

That includes in Mankato, where people argued for and against a mandate during a school board meeting Monday.

They included Kelli Milbrath, who has two children in Mankato schools and told the school board that the drawbacks of masks are minimal compared to the risk of COVID.

Others said the decision should be left to families. The board voted 5-2 to approve a mask mandate for students and staff through grade 8, regardless of vaccination status.