GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Here is the latest information on the coronavirus in Michigan, including the number of cases state offices report and other updates affecting West Michigan.
Saturday's Cases
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services reported 452 confirmed cases of COVID-19 Saturday, making the total 54,365.
There were 65 new deaths reported, which included 44 deaths from a review of death certificate data; the total death toll in the state is 5,223.
The latest data on recoveries is from Friday, May 22. It shows that 33,168 people have recovered from the virus. The state updates this data every Saturday. A recovery is counted as anyone who is 30 days out from the onset of their symptoms.
The Michigan Department of Corrections has tested every inmate within its system. While results are still pending on many inmates, MDOC reports 3,289 positive cases of COVID-19 and 62 deaths.The Federal Corrections Institute reported 129 cases and four deaths.
The number of hospitalizations has dropped below 1,000, with 953 COVID-19 patients in Michigan hospitals. There are 319 people on ventilators and 449 in critical care.
The latest data on testing is from Wednesday, May 20, and it shows 17,656 tests were performed with a positivity rate of 6.3%.
Michigan started reporting the number of cases at long term care facilities. That data can be seen here.
Michigan's case fatality rate is 10%, but health officials say this will likely decline as testing of people with mild symptoms becomes more widely available.
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."
Michigan starts reporting COVID-19 antibody tests separately
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced Saturday that it would start reporting both standard diagnostic tests for COVID-19 and antibody tests.
The state's data now separates the testing numbers into serology and diagnostic. Serology testing, also known as antibody testing, determines if someone has ever had COVID-19 and a diagnostic test confirms an active disease.
Muskegon County offering free COVID-19 testing for all residents this weekend
Anyone who wants to get tested for COVID-19 in Muskegon County can do so this weekend.
The Michigan National Guard, the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and local partners are all teaming up to provide free testing to all Muskegon County residents.
CDC admits confusion on website about virus transmission from surfaces
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says recent edits to its website with guidance on how coronavirus is spread on surfaces created confusion and was not based on new science. The change drew attention because it indicated that the virus "does not spread easily" through touching surfaces or objects.
The agency issued a statement Friday, saying it has updated the page again. The new edits have not changed the information but reorganized it.
When the first change was noticed this week, it said that person-to-person contact was the most likely way to transmit COVID-19. After that, the page had a subsection that explained ways the virus "does not spread easily." That subsection stated that transmission was less likely through touching surfaces or objects, or by human-to-animal or animal-to-human transmission.
Hertz files for bankruptcy protection due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Hertz filed for bankruptcy protection Friday, unable to withstand the coronavirus pandemic that has crippled global travel and with it, the heavily indebted 102-year-old car rental company's business.
The Estero, Florida-based company's lenders were unwilling to grant it another extension on its auto lease debt payments past a Friday deadline, triggering the filing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware.
By the end of March, Hertz Global Holdings Inc. had racked up $18.7 billion in debt with only $1 billion of available cash.
Friday's Cases
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services reported 403 new cases of COVID-19 Friday, making the total 53,913.
They also recorded 29 daily deaths, making the total death toll in the state 5,158.
State recommendations for COVID-19
Patients with confirmed infection have reportedly had mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms of:
- Fever
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
- Chills
- Repeated shaking with chills
- Muscle pain
- Headache
- Sore throat
- New loss of taste or smell
The best prevention for viruses, such as influenza, the common cold or COVID-19 is to:
- If you think you have been exposed to COVID-19, call your health care provider. If you do not have a health care provider, call the nearest hospital.
- Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for 20 seconds. If not available, use hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or upper sleeve when coughing or sneezing.
- Avoid contact with people who are sick.
- If you are sick, stay home, and avoid contact with others.
- Stay at least 6 feet away from others when in a public setting.
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- 'We're not closing our country' if second coronavirus wave hits, Trump says
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- Whitmer signs orders allowing small gatherings, reopens nonessential businesses, authorizes nonessential medical procedures
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