DETROIT – Michigan reported 13,686 new cases of COVID-19 and 392 virus-related deaths Wednesday -- an average of 6,843 cases over a two-day period.
Of the 392 deaths announced Wednesday, 250 were identified during a review of records.
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Wednesday’s update brings the total number of confirmed COVID cases in Michigan to 1,448,523, including 26,376 deaths. These numbers are up from 1,434,837 cases and 25,984 deaths, as of Monday.
- From the state: Due to the state holidays, data was not updated on Friday, Dec. 24, and will not be updated on Friday, Dec. 31.
Testing has increased to around 50,000 diagnostic tests reported per day on average, with the 7-day positive rate at 16.61% as of Wednesday and has hovered around that number over the last week. Hospitalizations have declined slightly over the last two weeks but are still near record-high levels.
The state’s 7-day moving average for daily cases was 5,762 on Wednesday. The 7-day death average was 121 on Wednesday. The state’s fatality rate is 1.8%. The state also reports “active cases,” which were listed at 223,100 on Wednesday.
Michigan has reported more than 10.8 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine administered as of Monday, with 68.1% of 16+ residents having received at least one dose, while 62.5% of 16+ residents are considered fully vaccinated.
Across Michigan’s entire population, 63% have received at last one COVID vaccine dose.
According to Johns Hopkins University, more than 51 million cases have been reported in the U.S., with more than 812,000 deaths reported from the virus. Globally, more than 8.8 billion vaccine doses have been administered, including more than 496 million doses in the U.S. alone.
Worldwide, more than 277 million people have been confirmed infected and more than 5.3 million have died, according to Johns Hopkins University. The true numbers are certainly much higher, because of limited testing, different ways nations count the dead and deliberate under-reporting by some governments.
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Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer held a COVID briefing Tuesday for the first time since June, answering questions about whether this surge warrants new mandates and delivering specific messages for both vaccinated and unvaccinated residents.
“We’re in for another tough 4-6 weeks, is what all the experts are projecting, with the omicron variant spreading rapidly across the country,” Whitmer said.
Whitmer spoke from the Hispanic Center in Grand Rapids. She was joined by Elizabeth Hertel, director of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
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Dr. Cameron Webb is the senior adviser for equity on the response team. He is very concerned about the still high number of unvaccinated people in Michigan.
Read: Omicron variant identified in 5 Michigan counties
“Delta certainly has changed a lot of people’s minds as they’ve seen loved ones get affected. I work in a COVID unit in my hospital here in Virginia and I think I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve seen family members make the decision to get vaccinated after watching what loved ones go through because of COVID and you know -- that’s happening in Michigan too. The hope is that it doesn’t take that for more people to make the decision to get protected,” Webb said.
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Most stores and websites are sold out of at-home COVID-19 tests.
Local 4′s Consumer Investigator Hank Winchester went out with hidden cameras to search for tests.
When you walk the aisles of almost any pharmacy in Metro Detroit in search of an at-home COVID test, you’re likely to find a sign indicating they’re sold out.
Michigan COVID-19 daily reported cases since Nov. 15:
- Nov. 15 -- 7,012 new cases
- Nov. 16 -- 7,281 new cases
- Nov. 17 -- 7,280 new cases
- Nov. 18 -- 8,990 new cases
- Nov. 19 -- 8,990 new cases
- Nov. 20 -- 5,669 new cases
- Nov. 21 -- 5,669 new cases
- Nov. 22 -- 5,670 new cases
- Nov. 23 -- 8,502 new cases
- Nov. 24 -- 8,501 new cases
- Nov. 25 -- 5,065 new cases
- Nov. 26 -- 5,066 new cases
- Nov. 27 -- 5,066 new cases
- Nov. 28 -- 5,066 new cases
- Nov. 29 -- 5,066 new cases
- Nov. 30 -- 8,265 new cases
- Dec. 1 -- 8,265 new cases
- Dec. 2 -- 9,221 new cases
- Dec. 3 -- 9,222 new cases
- Dec. 4 -- 5,530 new cases
- Dec. 5 -- 5,530 new cases
- Dec. 6 -- 5,530 new cases
- Dec. 7 -- 7,693 new cases
- Dec. 8 -- 7,692 new cases
- Dec. 9 -- 5,891 new cases
- Dec. 10 -- 5,892 new cases
- Dec. 11 -- 5,381 new cases
- Dec. 12 -- 5,381 new cases
- Dec. 13 -- 5,381 new cases
- Dec. 14 -- 5,861 new cases
- Dec. 15 -- 5,861 new cases
- Dec. 16 -- 6,325 new cases
- Dec. 17 -- 6,324 new cases
- Dec. 18 -- 4,666 new cases
- Dec. 19 -- 4,666 new cases
- Dec. 20 -- 4,667 new cases
- Dec. 21 -- 6,843 new cases
- Dec. 22 -- 6,843 new cases
Michigan COVID-19 daily reported deaths since Nov. 15:
- Nov. 15 -- 32 new deaths
- Nov. 16 -- 121 new deaths
- Nov. 17 -- 121 new deaths
- Nov. 18 -- 64 new deaths
- Nov. 19 -- 64 new deaths (71 from past two days from vital records)
- Nov. 20 -- 27 new deaths
- Nov. 21 -- 28 new deaths
- Nov. 22 -- 28 new deaths (32 from past three days from vital records)
- Nov. 23 -- 140 new deaths
- Nov. 24 -- 140 new deaths (143 from past two days from vital records)
- Nov. 25 -- 28 new deaths
- Nov. 26 -- 28 new deaths
- Nov. 27 -- 28 new deaths
- Nov. 28 -- 28 new deaths
- Nov. 29 -- 27 new deaths (57 from past five days from vital records)
- Nov. 30 -- 179 deaths
- Dec. 1 -- 179 deaths (160 from past two days from vital records)
- Dec. 2 -- 138 new deaths
- Dec. 3 -- 139 new deaths (169 from past two days from vital records)
- Dec. 4 -- 42 new deaths
- Dec. 5 -- 42 new deaths
- Dec. 6 -- 43 new deaths (47 from past three days from vital records)
- Dec. 7 -- 175 new deaths
- Dec. 8 -- 175 new deaths (185 from past two days from vital records)
- Dec. 9 -- 117 new deaths
- Dec. 10 -- 118 new deaths (151 from past two days from vital records)
- Dec. 11 -- 53 new deaths
- Dec. 12 -- 53 new deaths
- Dec. 13 -- 54 new deaths (36 from past two days from vital records)
- Dec. 14 -- 165 new deaths
- Dec. 15 -- 165 new deaths ( 230 from past two days from vital records)
- Dec. 16 -- 127 new deaths
- Dec. 17 -- 127 new deaths (159 from past two days from vital records)
- Dec. 18 -- 53 new deaths
- Dec. 19 -- 53 new deaths
- Dec. 20 -- 54 new deaths (63 from past three days from vital records)
- Dec. 21 -- 196 new deaths
- Dec. 22 -- 196 new deaths (250 from past two days from vital records)
Coronavirus resources:
- View more: Michigan COVID-19 data 📊📈
- Question about coronavirus? Ask Dr. McGeorge here.
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