COVID-19 statistics in Minnesota passed several encouraging milestones over the weekend: The rolling seven-day average of new cases each day dropped below 3,000; the average number of hospital admissions fell below 150 a day; and the average test positivity rate over the past week dropped below 7 percent.

While those are still alarmingly high numbers, they’re levels not seen in six weeks or longer. But the positive signs came amid a mounting December death toll.

This is an MPR News morning update for Monday, December 21, 2020. Hosted by Cathy Wurzer.

Our theme music is by Gary Meister.