METRO DETROIT – Coronavirus cases are rapidly climbing in Michigan, but some spots are distinctly worse than others.
March 31, 2021: Michigan coronavirus cases up to 672,259; Death toll now at 16,092
While the state’s numbers as a whole are distinctly rising. It’s important for everyone to understand where the hot spots are within the state -- particularly in Metro Detroit.
The overall picture is worsening but it’s even more accelerated in some areas.
If you look at cases per 100,000 people, the Thumb -- Michigan’s 10th district -- becomes prominent. Less populated areas, like Macomb and St. Clair counties have critically high COVID transmission.
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In St. Clair County, the rate of COVID tests returning positive is nearly 27% -- higher than it ever was during the winter surge. It’s approaching the highest rate the county has ever seen -- 28.8% in April 2020.
For comparison, the percent positivity in the state overall is 13%, and that’s considered serious. In St. Clair County, more than one in four people are testing positive. The average number of new cases per million in St. Clair County is higher than it has ever been since the pandemic started.
The importance of the trends being seen in new cases across Metro Detroit cannot be overstated. Vaccinations are clearly a critical part of our current strategy, but in order to slow the spread of cases, hospitalizations and deaths, everyone has to do their part.