What to know today 🌅
Michigan again at ‘high risk’ for virus outbreak amid worry of 2nd wave, data shows
A research group has once again labeled Michigan at “high risk” for a coronavirus outbreak as COVID-19 cases begin to rise rapidly across the state.
The group of technologists, epidemiologists, health experts and public policy leaders at Covid Act Now are identifying each state’s risk level for the spread of COVID-19 -- which have recently worsened in most parts of the U.S.
On Thursday, Michigan’s risk level for a coronavirus outbreak increased from “medium risk” to “high risk” for the first time since July 31. The state’s new risk level is largely due to an increased infection rate and rapid increase of daily new COVID-19 cases, according to the data.
Michigan was previously labeled as experiencing “controlled disease growth.”
Amy Coney Barrett Senate confirmation hearing
Confirmation hearings begin Monday for President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, Amy Coney Barrett. If confirmed, the 48-year-old appeals court judge would fill the seat of liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died last month.
Ginsburg’s replacement by Barrett, a conservative, would shift the balance on the court significantly right, from 5-4 in favor of conservatives to 6-3.
Watch live coverage starting at 8:30 a.m. here.
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Kim DeGiulio shares her COVID-19 experience: ‘I invited the virus over to my house’
Kim DeGiulio caught the coronavirus after inviting a friend over for dinner.
They ate outside to be safe, but it wasn’t safe enough. They sat closer than the recommended 6 feet.
“It just took one person. I invited the virus over to my house. I drank wine with the virus,” said DeGiulio.
Her friend tested positive for COVID-19 the next day.
“I got the phone call from her, and it was like really scary actually learning I had been exposed to somebody who had it. Then I just kind of knew I’m about to get it because we were together way too long. We weren’t social distancing, we weren’t wearing masks,” said DeGiulio.
She acted fast and immediately self-quarantined at home and monitored herself for symptoms. She tested positive for COVID-19 a few days later.
Coronavirus in Michigan 🦠
The number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in Michigan has risen to 134,656 as of Saturday, including 6,891 deaths, state officials report.
A total of 104,271 recoveries also were reported by the state on Saturday.
Saturday’s update represented 1,522 new cases and 15 additional deaths, the highest one-day case total since April 7. The state does not report virus data on Sunday.
New COVID-19 cases have slightly increased in the last two weeks, while deaths remain flat in Michigan. Testing has remained steady, with an average of more than 30,000 per day, with the positive rate just above 3 percent over the last 10 days.
Hospitalizations have increased steadily for the last three weeks, including a slight uptick in critical care. Ventilator use is near its lowest point since tracking, dating back to April.
Michigan’s 7-day moving average for daily cases was 1,020 on Sunday, the highest since early April. The state’s fatality rate is 5.1 percent. The state also reports “active cases,” which were listed at 23,500 on Sunday.
Here’s a look at more of the data: