DETROIT – Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has confirmed two cases of coronavirus in the state, both in Metro Detroit.
- Both cases are in Metro Detroit -- an Oakland County resident and a Wayne County resident.
- The Oakland County resident has a recent history of international travel while the Wayne County resident has a recent history of domestic travel.
- Both patients are middle-aged, are hospitalized, and both cases will need to be confirmed by the CDC.
Two people in Michigan have tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19), according to Michigan’s Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh S. Khaldun, who spoke at a news conference Tuesday night with the governor in Lansing.
“We are working very closely with our local public health partners to learn more about these cases so we can do everything we can to protect those who may be at risk,” said Khaldun.
One case has been confirmed in an Oakland County resident, and the other is in a Wayne County resident. Both patients are middle-aged -- a man and a woman -- and both are hospitalized, Khaldun said. The Oakland County resident has a recent history of international travel while the Wayne County resident has a recent history of domestic travel.
Both cases will need to be confirmed by the CDC because every COVID-19 case that is confirmed by state health officials is considered presumptive and must get a second positive test result from the CDC.
Whitmer has declared a state of emergency “to harness our resources across state government to slow the spread of the virus.”
“We’re taking every step that we can to mitigate the virus spread and keep Michiganders safe,” said Whitmer. “I’ve signed an executive order declaring a state of emergency in order to maximize our efforts and assist local governments and officials to slow the spread. It’s crucial that Michiganders continue to take preventative measures.”
Learn much more about coronavirus from Dr. Frank McGeorge in the video below.
Michigan coronavirus testing
Earlier on Tuesday, Michigan health officials were reporting 39 people in Michigan had tested negative for the virus and 124 were still being monitored. Tests had been pending on 24 people. Of those 24 cases, two tested positive.
State officials expect more positive cases of coronavirus in Michigan.
As of Tuesday night, the state of Michigan was reporting 57 people in Michigan had tested negative for the virus and 18 test results were still pending.
“It is very likely that we will see more cases and that there will be community spread,” said Khaldun. “We need everyone to do their part to prevent the spread of the disease as much as possible."
Symptoms of coronavirus
According to the CDC and state health officials, COVID-19 symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure to the virus. The symptoms include:
- Fever
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
Questions about coronavirus answered
Local 4′s Dr. Frank McGeorge, M.D., has been receiving and answering questions about the new coronavirus known as COVID-19 -- here are some of those questions and answers: