DETROIT – The number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in Michigan has risen to 236,225 as of Thursday, including 7,811 deaths, state officials report.
Thursday’s update represents a one-day record of 6,940 new cases and 45 new deaths.
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New COVID-19 cases and deaths continue to rise in Michigan. Testing has increased in recent weeks, with more than 45,000 diagnostic tests reported per day, but the positive rate has increased to above 11% over the last week. Hospitalizations have increased steadily for the last five weeks, including upticks in critical care and ventilator use.
Michigan’s 7-day moving average for daily cases was 5,313 on Wednesday, the highest it has ever been. The 7-day death average was 46, the highest since early June. The state’s fatality rate is 3.4%. The state also reports “active cases,” which were listed at 92,600 on Wednesday, its highest mark on record. More than 128,000 have recovered in Michigan.
According to Johns Hopkins University, more than 3.9 million have recovered in the U.S., with more than 10.4 million cases reported across the country. More than 241,900 have died in the U.S.
Worldwide, more than 52.3 million people have been confirmed infected and more than 1.28 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.
RELATED: 4 key data points that show extent of COVID outbreak in Michigan right now
Michigan coronavirus headlines:
VIEW: Tracking Michigan COVID-19 testing data
VIEW: Tracking coronavirus cases, outbreaks in Michigan schools
‘The health care system can capsize’: Michigan hospitals rapidly filling with COVID-19 patients
Michigan hospitals are rapidly filling with COVID-19 patients once again, and experts are warning residents that if this trend continues, it will be disastrous for the state’s health care system.
Brian Peters, the CEO of the Michigan Heath and Hospital Association, spoke about the state’s latest rise in COVID-19 cases during a virtual panel discussion Thursday. The MHA represents all the hospitals and health systems throughout Michigan.
“I can tell you, very clearly, that we are squarely in the midst of a public health crisis,” Peters said.
The MHA is seeing warning signs from all hospitals -- from the small, rural hospitals to the largest urban systems -- in every corner of that state, he said.
“Our hospitals are rapidly filling with COVID-19 patients at a very alarming rate,” Peters said. “If this continues in the coming weeks, we will surpass our all-time record high in terms of COVID-19 inpatient hospitalization numbers here in the state of Michigan.”
Michigan rolls out coronavirus exposure app statewide: How it works, how to download
Michigan is expanding its COVID-19 exposure app for residents to use statewide after a successful pilot program in October.
The anonymous, no cost and voluntary app, piloted in Ingham County and on the campus of Michigan State University last month, lets users know whether they may have recently been exposed to COVID-19. Users can confidentially submit a positive test result into the app and alert others in recent proximity that they may have also been exposed to the virus.
Key ways Michigan’s COVID-19 situation is different than when stay-at-home order was necessary
Michigan’s COVID-19 cases sharply declined during the stay-at-home order, but even with cases currently spiking higher than ever before, there are several reasons a similar order likely isn’t necessary, according to the governor.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer was asked Thursday during her COVID-19 press briefing whether another stay-at-home order might help get cases under control. The state reported a single-day high 4,101 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday (Nov. 4).
“You say we know what works to stop the spread,” a reporter asked. “A key part of that mix this spring was your stay-at-home order. Will you be asking MDHHS or the Legislature to put another one in place?”
“I think that where we were in the spring versus where we are now -- a lot of the fundamentals that really necessitated the immediate stay-at-home order are different,” Whitmer said.
Whitmer signs 6 COVID-19 bills into law
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has signed six bills from the state’s new COVID-19 legislation into law. View the list and what the laws are here.
Michigan issues new COVID-19 emergency order with stricter rules for restaurants, gatherings
Michigan health officials have issued a new COVID-19 emergency order that includes stricter regulations on restaurants and gathering limits.
Director Robert Gordon and Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, both with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, announced the new order Thursday. MDHHS’s previous COVID-19 order was set to expire Friday.
Under the new order, no more than 50 people can gather indoors unless there is fixed seating. Facilities with fixed seating -- such as sports arenas -- are not affected by the new order. Also, restaurants, bars and other indoor non-residential locations cannot allow more than six people at a table.
How ‘incredibly concerning’ COVID-19 cases are trending in each of Michigan’s 8 regions
As the number of COVID-19 cases spikes dramatically, Michigan’s top medical official broke down the “incredibly disturbing” trends in each of the state’s eight regions.
Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, the chief medical executive of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, said during a news briefing Thursday that the state’s number of positive COVID-19 cases per million people per day has been increasing for six weeks, with a seven-day average that’s twice as high as a month ago.
The state as a whole is reporting 172 positive cases per million people per day. Officials said 4,000 tests are being administered per million people each day.
The Upper Peninsula has the highest cases per million people, at 428, and positivity rate, at 7.9%. Michigan’s Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids regions are not far behind.
Whitmer announces grants for teachers, support staff who were impacted by COVID-19
On Tuesday, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and state treasurer Rachael Eubanks announced a new grant program for Michigan teachers and support staff.
Those who worked additional time and incurred additional costs during the 2019-2020 school year due to COVID-19 can receive grant money through two new grant programs.
Under both the Teacher COVID-19 Grant and the Support Staff COVID-19 Grant programs, eligible teachers can receive up to $500 and eligible support staff can receive up to $250. The state of Michigan’s Fiscal Year 2021 budget provides $53 million for eligible K-12 classroom teachers and $20 million for eligible support staff.
Could the record-breaking COVID-19 numbers lead to a second shutdown for Michigan?
"I think that there are circumstances under which the governor could make the case that there is a new emergency because of an increased spike, " said Attorney General Dana Nessel.
That’s a possibility -- said Attorney General Dana Nessel -- when it comes to another state shutdown.
Michigan’s Health Department reported Saturday the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Michigan is now 158,026, including more than 7,000 deaths.
Saturday’s update alone – 3,338 new cases and 35 additional deaths.
Nessel said Saturday’s numbers are alarming and she’s afraid things will get worse because this time since the Governor’s powers are somewhat limited.
“But what concerns me is what I hear over and over and over from the Republicans that are in power at our state legislature is that they don’t believe in shutting things down,” Nessel said. “They are big proponents of keeping everything open and there’s no reason to shut anything down.”
Group calls for unified response from Michigan’s political leadership to mitigate spread of COVID-19
A group of healthcare, public health, university, labor and business leaders called on Michigan’s political leadership to demonstrate a “complete unity of purpose” to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in the state.
The group stated support for mandatory standards for mask usage, workplace practices and public gatherings. They said the recent orders by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and Michigan Occupational Health and Safety Administration should be deployed across the state with “discipline.”
Michigan will allow indoor nursing home visits depending on regional risk level
Michigan will allow indoor visitation to long term care facilities for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic started in the state.
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Director Robert Gordon today issued an Emergency Order under MCL 333.2253 that updates and further expands requirements for residential care facilities, while also permitting indoor visitation in residential care facilities in certain circumstances.
The state had previously allowed outdoor visits and visits for terminally ill patients.
Under the order, visitation rules are linked to the risk level of the county. A list of county risk levels is available on the MI Safe Start Map.
Indoor visitation is now allowed in areas where the current risk level is A, B, C, or D, so long as the facilities have had no new cases, including those involving residents or staff, originating within the prior 14 days. Indoor visitation is not allowed when the county is at risk level E, which means there is an elevated incidence growth rate with average daily cases/million greater than 150 or a positivity rate greater than 20%.
Coronavirus research headlines:
Michigan COVID-19 daily reported cases since Oct. 15:
- Oct. 15 -- 2,030 new cases
- Oct. 16 -- 2,015 new cases
- Oct. 17 -- 1,791 new cases
- Oct. 18 -- 1,454 new cases
- Oct. 19 -- 1,455 new cases
- Oct. 20 -- 1,586 new cases
- Oct. 21 -- 1,597 new cases
- Oct. 22 -- 1,873 new cases
- Oct. 23 -- 1,826 new cases
- Oct. 24 -- 3,338 new cases (new single day record)
- Oct. 25 -- 1,940 new cases
- Oct. 26 -- 1,941 new cases
- Oct. 27 -- 2,367 new cases
- Oct. 28 -- 3,271 new cases
- Oct. 29 -- 3,675 new cases (new single-day record)
- Oct. 30 -- 3,168 new cases
- Oct. 31 -- 3,792 new cases
- Nov. 1 -- 3,354 new cases
- Nov. 2 -- 3,355 new cases
- Nov. 3 -- 3,106 new cases
- Nov. 4 -- 4,101 new cases (new single-day record)
- Nov. 5 -- 5,710 new cases (new single-day record)
- Nov. 6 -- 3,763 new cases
- Nov. 7 -- 6,225 new cases (new single-day record)
- Nov. 8 -- 4,505 new cases
- Nov. 9 -- 4,505 new cases
- Nov. 10 -- 6,473 new cases (new single-day record)
- Nov. 11 -- 6,008 new cases
- Nov. 12 -- 6,940 new cases (new single-day record)
Michigan COVID-19 daily reported deaths since Oct. 15:
- Oct. 15 -- 32 new deaths (21 from vital records)
- Oct. 16 -- 14 new deaths
- Oct. 17 -- 23 new deaths (15 from vital records)
- Oct. 18 -- 11 new deaths
- Oct. 19 -- 10 new deaths
- Oct. 20 -- 22 new deaths (1 from vital records)
- Oct. 21 -- 33 new deaths
- Oct. 22 -- 43 new deaths (31 from vital records)
- Oct. 23 -- 18 new deaths
- Oct. 24 -- 35 new deaths
- Oct. 25 -- 14 new deaths
- Oct. 26 -- 15 new deaths
- Oct. 27 -- 28 new deaths (8 from vital records)
- Oct. 28 -- 18 new deaths
- Oct. 29 -- 41 new deaths (22 from vital records)
- Oct. 30 -- 11 new deaths
- Oct. 31 -- 31 new deaths (20 from vital records)
- Nov. 1 -- 8 new deaths
- Nov. 2 -- 9 new deaths
- Nov. 3 -- 43 new deaths (17 from vital records)
- Nov. 4 -- 19 new deaths
- Nov. 5 -- 51 new deaths (26 from vital records)
- Nov. 6 -- 43 new deaths
- Nov. 7 -- 65 new deaths
- Nov. 8 -- 31 new deaths
- Nov. 9 -- 31 new deaths
- Nov. 10 -- 84 new deaths (25 from vital records)
- Nov. 11 -- 42 new deaths
- Nov. 12 -- 45 new deaths
Coronavirus resources:
- View more: Michigan COVID-19 data 📊📈
- Question about coronavirus? Ask Dr. McGeorge here.
- More: Return to School updates
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