GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Michigan has reported 1,994 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 100 more deaths linked to the virus.
Fifty of the 100 deaths announced Tuesday were discovered during a review of death certificates to find any that had not previously been reported to the state.
Tuesday’s update from the state bring the total number of confirmed cases in Michigan to 525,612 since the virus was first detected in the state in March 2020 and the total number of associated deaths to 13,501.
On Monday, labs in Michigan tested 34,744 samples for the virus and 2,486 were positive, a rate of 7.16%. 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 138 more cases for a total of 43,884. The number of deaths in the county remained unchanged at 549.
A few other West Michigan counties also recorded additional deaths:
- Allegan County: One more death for 72 total; 5,712 total confirmed cases since the start of the pandemic.
- Berrien County: Four more deaths for 194 total; 9,320 total cases.
- Ionia County: Four more deaths for 53 total; 3,639 total cases.
- Mecosta County: One more death for 14 total; 1,379 total cases.
- Montcalm County: Three more deaths for 76 total; 2,985 total cases.
- Ottawa County: Five more deaths for 274 total; 18,710 total cases.
- St. Joseph County: One more death for 61 total; 3,596 total cases.
Branch and Calhoun counties revised their death totals down by one each, bringing the tallies in those counties to 68 and 189, respectively. It has not been unusual for county death tolls to decrease as cases are double-checked and sometimes moved between jurisdictions.
Branch County has had a total of 3,062 confirmed cases and Calhoun County 7,250.
Wayne County, home to Detroit and hit hardest by the virus, recorded 13 more deaths for a total of 3,603 and confirmed 299 more cases for a total of 85,171 since the start of the outbreak. Neighboring Oakland County has had 58,040 confirmed cases (251 more than the previous day) and and 1,673 deaths (12 more). Macomb County has had 50,167 cases (147 more) and 1,642 deaths (13 more).
Public health officials are keeping a close eye on the metrics that demonstrate the spread of the virus in Michigan, looking to see if there will be surge in cases after Christmas.
The decline in the state’s case rate recently rebounded slightly and then plateaued. The average rate of daily positive tests dropped around Christmas but then rose again; in the last couple of days, it has been looking better.
Hospitalizations have been trending down and the rate of deaths each day continues to see improvements.
