More than 1,000 Minnesota hospital beds are filled with COVID-19 patients for the first time in the pandemic, which has caused 2,591 COVID-19 deaths and 170,307 diagnosed infections in the state.

The totals include 36 more deaths reported by the Minnesota Department of Health on Friday along with a record-shattering one-day total of 5,454 diagnosed infections with the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

The state’s updated pandemic response dashboard on Friday showed that 1,038 people with COVID-19 were admitted to Minnesota hospitals, and that 224 needed intensive care due to breathing problems or complications from the infectious disease.

State health officials have urged people to stick with a combination of mask-wearing, avoiding large crowds and social distancing in public to reduce the spread of the virus and keep pressure off hospitals. Dr. John Hick on Friday said a lack of public compliance could force a second statewide lockdown just before the holidays.

“If people don’t limit their social circle and wear masks it’s going to mean we have to lock down again — likely across the holiday season,” said Hick, who is leading regional hospital response efforts to the pandemic. “[It] would be regrettable, because we can take actions to limit spread — but we’re losing control of the infections right now.”

Minnesota on Friday also reported a one-day record 44,749 more diagnostic tests performed by public and private labs that can increase the total number of known infections — especially among people with mild or no symptoms. On Monday, the state will open its eighth free saliva collection testing site in Minneapolis.

However, the state dashboard also showed that the seven-day positivity rate of diagnostic testing had risen to 10% — an indication of broadening spread of the virus regardless of increased testing.

Among the diagnosed infections, 1,077 are classified as probable due to the use of rapid antigen testing that is slightly less accurate than PCR molecular diagnostic testing. Also, 139,190 involve people who have recovered from their infections and are no longer required to isolate themselves.

Updated capacity figures indicate less availability of ICU beds than previously stated. The state dashboard showed on Friday that 1,016 of 1,306 immediately available ICU beds were filled with patients who had COVID-19 or other unrelated medical or surgical issues. Another 400 or so ICU beds could be readied in 72 hours.

The number of available ICU beds had been more than 1,500 on the dashboard earlier this week. Health officials weren’t immediately available Friday morning to explain the decline, but hospital officials earlier this week said open beds are useful only if there are nurses and caregivers who can staff them.

Increasing viral exposures and infections among health care workers this fall have made it challenging for hospitals to maintain full bed capacities.

Hick said he is incredibly proud of the cooperation among Minnesota hospitals that has allowed patients with COVID-19 and other medical issues to have beds available when needed. But he said that they are reaching a tipping point at which more beds and noncritical care staff will need to be repurposed to keep up with demand.

“We really need to start treating this as the disaster situation it is becoming,” Hick said. “Given the fact that we’re not taking any real actions to stop COVID-19 transmission, this is going to keep getting worse. In the next few weeks we’re going to be seeing a lot more cases and a very different standard of care than usual in our hospitals. We’re going to make the safest compromises that we can, but we’re making compromises.”

Friday’s count of 36 COVID-19 deaths was a single-day record as well, though reported figures have been higher later in the week due to the administrative process of verifying and reporting fatalities.

The new deaths included 23 residents of long-term care or assisted-living facilities. Residents of these facilities make up 69% of total COVID-19 fatalities in Minnesota because of their advanced age and underlying health conditions. More than 80% of deaths have involved people 70 and older, but Friday’s update included two people in the 40s age range from Anoka and Dakota counties.