GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Michigan has confirmed 7,205 more cases of coronavirus and recorded 90 more deaths linked to it.
The numbers released Monday, which include two days’ worth of data, brought Michigan’s total number of confirmed cases to 437,985 since the virus was first detected in the state in March and 10,752 deaths have been linked to it.
On Saturday, labs in Michigan tested 43,948 samples for the virus and 4,308 were positive, a rate of 9.8%. On Sunday, 43,930 samples were tested and 4,662 were positive, a rate of 10.61%.
The number of positive tests is not the same as the number of new cases because people may be tested more than once. Additionally, testing numbers are from a single calendar date, while the number of new cases lists the increase since the last time the state compiled the data; these two time frames do not match up precisely.
Kent County confirmed 541 more cases for a total of 37,569 since the start of the outbreak. It also recorded three more deaths for a total of 437.
Several other West Michigan counties also recorded more deaths:
- Allegan County: One more death for 36 total; 4,652 total confirmed cases since the start of the outbreak.
- Berrien County: One more death for 139 total: 7,896 total cases.
- Calhoun County: Four more deaths for 145 total; 6,297 total cases.
- Kalamazoo County: One more death for 189 total; 9,647 total cases.
- Montcalm County: Four more deaths for 44 total; 2,650 total cases.
- Muskegon County: Five more deaths for 220 total; 8,482 total cases.
- Oceana County: One more death for 32 total; 1,435 total cases.
- Ottawa County: Three more deaths for 195 total; 15,820 total cases.
Wayne County, where the virus has hit hardest, saw 14 more deaths for a total of 3,243 and confirmed 944 more cases for a total of 71,929 since March. Neighboring Oakland County has had 48,821 cases (642 more since Saturday’s update) and 1,416 deaths (two more). Macomb County has had 43,347 cases (583 more) and 1,366 deaths (eight more).
SCHOOL-RELATED OUTBREAKS
The state is tracking 218 outbreaks associated with K-12 schools, colleges or universities, 49 fewer than the previous week. The total figure is declining after high schools and colleges were required to move online nearly four weeks ago.
The state’s list of such outbreaks, which is updated once per week on Mondays, included several elementary schools just added, all of which had fewer than 10 cases.
The largest outbreak at a K-12 school is still at Rockford High School and Freshman Center, which was added to the list in early October and includes 79 students and staff members.
Colleges and universities continue to have the largest numbers. Michigan State University has recorded about 2,274 cases associated with off-campus housing. The Grand Valley State University has had 1,101 since being added to the list in mid-September. The University of Michigan has had 445 cases in the last 28 days.
OVERALL TRENDS
The virus appears to be spreading more slowly in Michigan now than in recent weeks and months, with the average rate of cases per million people per day declining. The rate of positive tests each day on an undulating plateau, though it remains more than four times higher than the 3% threshold that public health officials say shows community spread is controlled.
Statewide, as of Monday, there were 3,777 adult inpatients suspected or confirmed to have the virus. Grand Rapids-based Spectrum Health said it had 263 COVID-19 inpatients across its hospital system. Figures have been declining both statewide and within Spectrum for about two weeks.
The number of deaths each day is still high, routinely above 100. That is a lagging metric that improves after case counts and hospitalizations.
The good news: Vaccines are rolling out. Spectrum Health said it got its first shipment Monday morning and gave five shots shortly after noon, making it the first hospital in the state to do so. A larger vaccination effort will begin Tuesday.
Michigan Medicine tweeted Monday morning it had gotten its first shipment of nearly 2,000 doses. Bronson Healthcare said its first shipment would arrive within the next couple of days and it would start giving shots to workers within 36 hours.
Statewide, the first doses will go to health care workers and those in nursing homes.
Still, it will be some time before vaccines are widely available and, for now, case numbers remain high. In response, the Kent County health Department and Spectrum are urging people not to travel or gather with anyone outside their household for the December holidays to help limit spread.
“Residents helped a lot by celebrating Thanksgiving with only people inside of their immediate households,” Mercy Health Saint Mary’s President Dr. Hyung Kim said in a statement provided by the health department. “Since infection rates, hospitalizations and mortality are still high, I hope people will stay strong in the upcoming holidays and avoid gathering with people outside their immediate households. We are far from being in the clear from COVID.”
“We are making progress, but need to work together to continue to reduce the positivity rate and to reduce the spread and the strain on our hospitals and health care workers,” Spectrum Health West Michiagn President Dr. Darryl Elmouchi stated. “We will continue to move this in the right direction by not traveling or gathering with people outside our immediate family.”
Public Health officials also continue to urge people to wash their hands frequently, practice social distancing and wear a mask when around others.
