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State officials urge Michiganders to take precaution as COVID-19 cases rise ahead of the holidays

Gov. Whitmer following COVID-19 numbers closely

LANSING, Mich. – On the day that Michigan hospital systems banded together to put out the alert on the rise of COVID-19 cases, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said the cases and positivity rate are alarming.

“Unless we get our act together right now, we could be hitting our daily peak of deaths come Christmas,” Whitmer said.

Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, Michigan chief medical executive, urged people to “wear your mask over your mouth and nose every time. Do not gather or go out unless you absolutely must.”

No new restrictions were announced as of Thursday.

Whitmer criticized the state Legislature for not passing a mask mandate even though there is already one in place from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

‘No area of the state is spared’: How COVID-19 is trending in all 8 Michigan regions

A spokeswoman for Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey said “Sen. Shirkey agrees with the governor that mask compliance is the issue when it comes to mask wearing. The Majority Leader believes the better way to achieve compliance is by encouraging and educating people."

You can watch the full report in the video above.


COVID-19 exhaustion at Michigan hospitals: ‘We got through first surge on adrenaline, now it’s a marathon’

Michigan hospital leaders are worried about health care workers becoming exhausted by eight months of battling COVID-19 as hospitals start to fill up with patients once again.

As state officials announce 6,000 new COVID-19 cases daily in Michigan, hospitalizations are starting to trend in wrong direction. During a virtual discussion with the presidents and CEOS of major Michigan health systems, the most pressing concern isn’t space, but staff availability.

Click here to read more.

6 common mistakes people are making as COVID-19 spreads in Michigan, according to Gov. Whitmer

COVID-19 cases in Michigan are at an all-time high, and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer outlined six specific mistakes residents are making that contributes to the spread.

Whitmer broke down these mistakes during her COVID-19 press briefing on Thursday after asking Michigan residents not to travel or gather with people outside their households during the Thanksgiving season.

“We are fatigued, but I think it’s important to recognize the things we can do to stay safe,” Whitmer said.

Click here to read more.


About the Authors
DeJanay Booth headshot

DeJanay Booth joined WDIV as a web producer in July 2020. She previously worked as a news reporter in New Mexico before moving back to Michigan.

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