Here is the latest information on the coronavirus in Michigan, including the number of cases state officials report and other updates affecting West Michigan.
Saturday's cases
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said there were 768 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, bringing the total to 30,791. This is the second day in a row and the fourth day this week where the daily case count was below 1,000.
State officials also reported 81 new deaths, which is the lowest daily death toll since April 5. The total number of deaths has reached 2,308. Michigan's fatality rate is at 7%, but that will likely drop as more people with mild illness from the virus are tested.
On Saturdays, the state is also updating the number of recoveries, which has reached 3,237. A recovery is classified as anyone who is a confirmed COVID-19 case and 30 days out from the onset of their symptoms.
The Michigan Department of Corrections is reporting 550 cases and 17 deaths. There are 45 cases within the Federal Correctional Institute.
As of Saturday, every county in Michigan's Lower Peninsula is reporting cases of COVID-19.
Michigan's chief medical executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun said Friday that the rate in the growth of new cases has plateaued.
"These are positive signs and it means that social distancing is working," Khaldun said. "A plateau in cases still means there are a lot of cases and deaths occurring, and we have to be mindful of this as we move forward with our response."
The state emphasizes that the report of cumulative data is "provisional and subject to change. As public health investigations of individual cases continue, there will be corrections to the status and details of referred cases that result in changes to this report." The state is also no longer reporting new cases by county.
Health officials have clarified two spikes in the death toll, on April 10 included 30 additional deaths and on April 16 included 65 additional deaths from past death certificate data. The state will review death certificates weekly. If a patient who dies is matched to a confirmed COVID-19 case, this will count towards the state's death toll.
House Republicans continue to push Whitmer to relax stay at home order
Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield sent the governor another letter on Saturday, April 18 pushing for her to relax the latest stay at home order. Chatfield, who has been a vocal critic of the order in recent weeks, suggests three changes that the state could implement "before it's too late."
Primarily, Chatfield cites economic concerns and wanting to get people back to work. More than 1 million Michigan residents have filed for unemployment since the crisis started about a month ago.
Michigan prisoner awaiting release dies from COVID-19
A Michigan prisoner who declined to be paroled earlier this year after decades behind bars has died from COVID-19 complications.
The Corrections Department says 60-year-old William Garrison is one of 17 prisoners who have died from COVID-19, a respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus.
Resident at Holland senior home tests positive for COVID-19
Freedom Village Holland said that one of their residents has tested positive for COVID-19.
The senior home is located in downtown Holland.
Freedom Village said they are continuing to follow increased safety precautions including: more stringent cleaning protocols, restricting visitors, canceling all on site group events, screening employees daily and requiring all employees to wear PPE while caring for residents.
Michigan colleges receive funding from the CARES Act
More than 100 Michigan college and universities are set to receive millions in funding from the CARES Act, the federal coronavirus relief package.
The act provides $14 billion to support post-secondary schools and students. Colleges and universities are required to use about half of the funding to provide cash grants to students for expenses related to disruptions from COVID-19.
Friday's cases surpass 30,000
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services reported 760 new cases of coronavirus Friday, bringing the total to 2,227.
There were 134 deaths reported; Michigan's death toll has reached 2,227.
Only one county in Michigan's lower peninsula is not reporting any cases yet, Benzie County.
The Michigan Department of Corrections reports 514 positive cases and 15 deaths. There are 44 cases within the Federal Corrections Institute.
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