Dec. 15, 2021 Minnesota marked another COVID milestone today, reporting the death toll from the pandemic has now surpassed 10,000 people in the state. That comes 21 months after the state reported its first fatal coronavirus infection in March 2020. More than half of the deaths were among Minnesotans over 80, and COVID has been responsible for the deaths of about 2.4 percent of the state's population 80 years old and older. Only 3.5 percent of the people lost to COVID were 50 years old or younger. Seven of those deaths were among people 19 years old or younger, and three younger than 10. The mark comes as a fall surge in cases seems to have peaked. Hospital admissions are starting to ebb, although patient counts still remain among the highest of the pandemic, and health officials say they know the omicron variant is now into a community spread phase of growth. Subscribe to our Minnesota Today podcast to get up-to-date Minnesota news twice daily. — Tim Nelson, MPR News | 