It was a deal that was kept tightly under wraps. If approved, it would create the largest hospital system in the state of Michigan.

Two of Michigan’s largest health care systems are exploring a future together, officials announced Thursday morning.

Several Metro Detroit and Michigan hospitals have been recognized as some of the best in the country and in the world by American news magazine Newsweek. For its third consecutive year, Newsweek has published its list of the “World’s Best Hospitals 2021,” in which global data is used to identify the top 2,000 hospitals across 25 countries, including the U.S., Japan, Germany, the U.K., India, Australia, Thailand and more. Michigan did not breach the top five, or the top ten, in the world, but it has breached the world’s top 30, with the University of Michigan Hospital’s Michigan Medicine ranking as 23rd in the world. AdNo other Michigan hospitals were among the top 200 in the world -- but several were still included on Newsweek’s list. But if you do, this ranking of the World’s Best Hospitals 2021 can help you feel confident as you make a critical choice about medical care.”Click here to see Newsweek’s entire “World’s Best Hospitals 2021″ list.

Gretchen Whitmer is “strongly considering all actions” to slow the spread of COVID-19 as cases, hospitalizations and deaths surge statewide. “Right now, my team and I are following the numbers closely and strongly considering all actions that we can take to keep Michiganders safe,” Whitmer said. Every week, Whitmer faces a question about whether Michigan will need to be shut down again to stop the spread of COVID-19. But on Thursday, Michigan reported a single-day record 6,940 new COVID-19 cases, along with 45 additional deaths. Overall, the state has reported 236,225 COVID-19 cases and 7,811 deaths.

Michigan hospital leaders are worried about health care workers becoming exhausted by eight months of battling COVID-19 as hospitals start to fill up with patients once again. As state officials announce 6,000 new COVID-19 cases daily in Michigan, hospitalizations are starting to trend in wrong direction. During a virtual discussion with the presidents and CEOS of major Michigan health systems, the most pressing concern isn’t space, but staff availability. “It may not be access to a facility need, it may actually be staffing,” Decker said. So that has clearly been our top concern.”LOCAL: Macomb County a ‘pocket’ of Michigan that struggles with mask wearing, Henry Ford Health CEO says

The president and CEO of Henry Ford Health System said Macomb County is a “pocket” of Michigan that struggles with COVID-19 mask compliance. Wright Lassiter spoke about the importance of following COVID-19 safety protocols during a virtual panel conversation among Michigan hospital leaders. He said while most people in the state wear masks, there are “pockets” where compliance isn’t up to par. “I would say that while we do see mask usage in many places, there are pockets where there is not good compliance,” Lassiter said. “In the Henry Ford system, our Henry Ford Macomb Hospital has the highest volume by far.

The head of the hospital association in Michigan said one of the main problems with the spread of COVID-19 statewide is that people aren’t convinced certain safety measures are necessarily, so they aren’t going to follow them. Brian Peters, the CEO of the Michigan Heath and Hospital Association, joined top hospital officials Thursday for a virtual discussion about the state of Michigan’s COVID-19 pandemic. Yet Michigan is still seeing its largest spike in COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began, with case totals and test positivity rates rising statewide. LOCAL: Macomb County a ‘pocket’ of Michigan that struggles with mask wearing, Henry Ford Health CEO saysHe compared COVID-19 protocols to wearing seat belts on the road, saying people won’t follow rules unless they genuinely believe they are saving lives. He and Beaumont Health president and CEO John Fox both said visitors have even resisted simple COVID-19 safety measures while physically inside hospitals.

As the number of Michiganders hospitalized with COVID-19 rises again, hospitals aren’t planning to shut down elective surgeries. But if the health care system gets overwhelmed, that might be a measure of last resort. Most importantly, health care workers don’t want Michiganders to have to delay necessary care. While all the hospital leaders agreed they don’t want to shut down elective procedures, it’s possible the spread of COVID-19 could reach a point where that’s the only option. That means Michigan hospitals won’t easily be able to transfer patients elsewhere if they reach capacity in terms of space or workers.

Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is seeing its most rapid spread of COVID-19, and hospitals are trying to keep up without the same resources as the more populated areas of the state. Gar Atchison, the CEO of UP Health System-Marquette and market CEO of UP Health System, joined a discussion among state hospital system leaders Thursday to talk about how COVID-19 is being handled in the Upper Peninsula. “We are seeing some pretty rapid increases, some pretty alarming case rates.”Some hospitals and testing centers in the Upper Peninsula are seeing test positivity rates of 30% multiple days in a row, Atchison said. UP Health System-Marquette is the safety net hospital for the Upper Peninsula, so what happens when the region hits capacity is a major concern for Atchison. ICU capacity outside of Marquette is fairly limited, so that’s the number that I’m paying most attention to.”He said 61% of patients in ICU beds in the Upper Peninsula are COVID-19 patients.

Michigan’s top health officials are concerned about hospitals becoming overwhelmed again as the COVID-19 numbers across the state reach new levels. Early in the-19 pandemic, one of the major problems for Michigan was hospital capacity, as COVID-19 patients filled beds and the state was forced to set up alternate sites. “That’s one of the general concerns,” said Wright Lassiter, president and CEO of Henry Ford Health System. Decker said another concern is staff members who have been fighting COVID-19 for the better part of eight months. LOCAL: Macomb County a ‘pocket’ of Michigan that struggles with mask wearing, Henry Ford Health CEO says“Our team -- they’ve been dealing with this for a very long time, so they are tired,” Decker said.

The president and CEO of Henry Ford Health System wants Michiganders to follow the simple safety measures in place to stop the spread of COVID-19, but if they can’t, he said other steps might be necessary. “If doing the right thing and using ration and science isn’t sufficient, then there may be other steps that end up being necessary,” said Wright Lassiter, president and CEO of Henry Ford Health System. LOCAL: Macomb County a ‘pocket’ of Michigan that struggles with mask wearing, Henry Ford Health CEO saysThey said Michiganders should just follow four simple rules: Wear masks, practice social distancing, wash hands frequently and avoid large gatherings. Wright Lassiter, president and CEO of Henry Ford Health System, during a COVID-19 discussion on Nov. 12, 2020. MORE: Hospital association CEO: Michiganders who don’t believe in COVID-19 protocols aren’t going to follow themLassiter said a broad-based shutdown of the state likely would not be effective.

As COVID-19 trends worsen dramatically across Michigan, are stricter government regulations inevitable? The presidents and CEOS of Henry Ford Health System, Beaumont Health, Spectrum Health, Munson Healthcare and UP Health System-Marquette joined the discussion to highlight the alarming trajectory of COVID-19 numbers statewide. John Fox, president and CEO of Beaumont Health, said the tools to slow the spread of COVID-19 are already in place. LOCAL: Macomb County a ‘pocket’ of Michigan that struggles with mask wearing, Henry Ford Health CEO says“The tools to control it are there. MORE: Hospital association CEO: Michiganders who don’t believe in COVID-19 protocols aren’t going to follow them“They’ve been much more targeted, where government did intervene,” Anderson said.

Leaders from four major hospital systems in Michigan came together Thursday to share the alarming trends they’re seeing as COVID-19 cases increase drastically statewide. “Our state is now in a phase of exponential increases in both COVID-19 cases and COVID-19 hospitalizations,” said Gerry Anderson, executive chairman at DTE Energy and a member of Gov. “Over the last five weeks, cases in Michigan are up more than five-fold,” Anderson said. Leaders of Henry Ford Health System, Beaumont Health, Spectrum Health and Munson Health shared some of the COVID-19 trends they’re seeing in their hospitals. Henry Ford Health SystemThe story is the same in Henry Ford hospitals, according to Wright Lassiter, the president and CEO of Henry Ford Health System.

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. The MHA represents all the hospitals and health systems throughout Michigan. “Our hospitals are rapidly filling with COVID-19 patients at a very alarming rate,” Peters said. He and other state health care leaders are concerned about what’s ahead for hospitals if the trends don’t reverse. The health care system can capsize if you don’t keep it under control.”

Leaders from several of Michigan’s largest hospitals systems are gathered in a virtual news conference Thursday morning as they call on residents to heed warnings about the surge of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the state. “In the last week, Michigan has seen a historic and increasing number of COVID-19 cases and deaths. This has resulted in increased hospitalizations and pressure on our health care infrastructure across the state. New COVID-19 cases and deaths continue to rise in Michigan. View more: Michigan COVID-19 dataMichigan’s 7-day moving average for daily cases was 5,040 on Tuesday, the highest it has ever been.

As planned, defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio stepped in and ran practice ahead of Washington's game against the Philadelphia Eagles. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)Ron Rivera missed Washington's first game week practice to begin treatment for a form of skin cancer, so Jack Del Rio stepped in as planned. Del Rio didn't have an update on how Rivera was feeling, but expects him back at the team's practice facility Wednesday. I really dont hear Coach (Rivera) when he's here doing, cornerback Ronald Darby said. But to be honest, it did feel a little weird because whats going on and what he's going through, but we've got to keep pushing.

Washington head coach Ron Rivera, center, talks to his team during practice at the team's NFL football training facility, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020, in Ashburn, Va. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Beaumont Health and Advocate Aurora Health announced Wednesday that the two health systems are exploring a potential partnership.The organizations say they signed a non-binding letter of intent that paves the way to deeper discussions to create a leading health care system that would span across Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois. We are excited to explore this option with an organization as highly regarded as Advocate Aurora Health known for their track record in health outcomes, population health and consumer experience, said John Fox, president and chief executive officer, Beaumont Health, in a news release. Advocate Health Care and Aurora Health Care organizations merged in 2018 to create Advocate Aurora Health. The health systems say they will work closely with state and regulatory agencies throughout the process, which began with notifications to all three Attorneys General earlier this week. Advocate Aurora Health is one of the 10 largest not-for-profit, integrated health systems in the United States and a leading employer in the Midwest with more than 70,000 employees.

DETROIT – Beaumont Health announced Tuesday morning that due to the “financial consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic” it is temporarily laying off 2,475 employees, permanently eliminating 450 positions and cutting executive pay. Beaumont Health CEO John Fox will take a 70% temporary pay cut to his base salary. “We will continue to adapt our health care system to deliver the best, compassionate, extraordinary care every day. Impacted employees will be eligible to apply for other open positions at Beaumont and given priority, the health system says. According to officials, the remaining coronavirus (COVID-19) patients were discharged or transferred to other hospitals last week Tuesday.

WAYNE, Mich. – Michigan representatives Debbie Dingell and Rashida Tlaib are demanding answers from Beaumont after the health system closed its Wayne hospital during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. READ: Beaumont Wayne Hospital temporarily closes after discharging, transferring COVID-19 patientsThe health system announced that the remaining COVID-19 patients at Beaumont Wayne were discharged or transferred to other hospitals Tuesday. Dingell and Tlaib sent a letter to John Fox, the president of Beaumont Health, demanding that the hospital reopen on Monday. “We write to follow up on our letter dated April 14, 2020 regarding the closure of Beaumont Wayne Hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic,” wrote Dingell and Tlaib. Last month, the emergency room at the Wayne hospital closed, and the location began accepting only COVID-19 patients.

WAYNE, Mich. – Michigan representatives Debbie Dingell and Rashida Tlaib condemned Beaumont’s decision to temporarily shutter its Wayne hospital during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The health system announced that the remaining coronavirus (COVID-19) patients at Beaumont Wayne were discharged or transferred to other hospitals Tuesday. Last month, the emergency room at the Wayne hospital closed, and the location began accepting only COVID-19 patients. Beaumont Health is committed to responding to potential ongoing COVID-19 surges by relying upon our Wayne hospital and other resources. Beaumont is committed to reopening Beaumont, Wayne and making sure the services provided there both meet the community’s needs and fit within our system’s overall strategic plan.

Beaumont Health announced Sunday that the health system is caring for 1,074 confirmed COVID-19 patients throughout the state of Michigan, as the state’s coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic rapidly evolves. In the announcement, Beaumont Health CEO John Fox urges the Michigan government to require health systems to be more transparent with the public and to share more complete data. “Some other health systems in our region are also seeing large numbers of COVID-19 patients. That said, we all must acknowledge all the frontline health care workers treating COVID-19 patients throughout Michigan and beyond. Some viruses are highly contagious (spread easily), like measles, while other viruses do not spread as easily.