Michigan COVID-19 risk map update: Where things stand

DETROIT – At the end of July, there are no Michigan regions in “high risk” for COVID-19 spread, according to the state’s interactive coronavirus risk map.

MI Safe Start Map is a dashboard designed to monitor the status of COVID-19 indicators across the state of Michigan. The dashboard tracks and displays the current risk level of Michigan regions and counties due to COVID-19.

The dashboard allows you to click on a specific region, and from there narrow the region down by county. Test results, new cases and deaths are available for each of these options, as well as public health capacity information. All of that information is color coded to align with a specific phase of the reopening plan -- from dark red (uncontrolled growth) to dark blue (post-pandemic).

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Every region in the state is at either medium-high risk or lower, which is an improvement from earlier this month. Here are some of the notes from the last update to the map (July 28):

• The Grand Rapids Region has declined to Medium High risk based on 2-week reduction in case count and declining percent positivity and Covid-like symptoms.
• The Detroit Region continues to be Medium High risk, however the region has increasing percent positivity over six weeks.
• The Lansing, Kalamazoo, Saginaw, Jackson, and the UP Regions maintain a Medium High risk level, although continuing increases in positivity in these regions need to be monitored.
• The Traverse City Region has decreased case counts and positivity over 2 week and remains at Medium risk level.

Risk levels were developed by MDHHS and the U-M School of Public Health using guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, national Guidelines for Opening America and several other leading national organizations.

The risk levels are not associated with which phase of reopening each region is in. They are two different things. The risk map is a factor in determining reopening phase for each region in Gov. Whitmer’s reopening plan.

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The number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in Michigan has risen to 80,887 as of Thursday, including 6,191 deaths, state officials report.

New cases have increased moderately in recent weeks, while deaths remain flat in Michigan. Testing has increased in the last week, with an average of more than 30,000 per day, with the positive rate between 3 and 4 percent. Hospitalizations have increased slightly, but remain considerably lower than in April.

Michigan has reported 57,502 COVID-19 recoveries. The state also reports “active cases,” which were listed at 17,300 as of Thursday. Michigan’s 7-day average moving average for daily cases was 706 on Thursday, the highest since early May.

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