LANSING, Mich. — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Tuesday that every region in Michigan has seen an uptick in new COVID-19 cases over the past three weeks and because of this she has extended an emergency and disaster declaration until Aug. 11.
“COVID-19 has now killed more than 6,000 people in Michigan. That’s more than 6,000 of our parents, grandparents, friends, and neighbors. And the rising numbers we’ve seen over the past few weeks prove that this virus is still a very real threat in our state,” said Whitmer.
The governor first issued a state of emergency on March 10 when the first cases of COVID-19 were found in Michigan. The declaration allows Whitmer to issue executive orders to respond to the pandemic.
Tuesday the state of Michigan reported 584 new cases of COVID-19 along with 6 deaths. In total 6,081 people have died from the virus and there have been 70,306 cases in Michigan.
According to the governor, daily COVID-19 case counts now exceed 20 cases per million in the Detroit, Lansing, Grand Rapids, and Kalamazoo regions.
The increase in cases reflects a national trend where COVID-19 cases are growing in 39 states.
“Michiganders should all continue to do their part by wearing a mask and practicing safe physical distancing. We will get through this when we work together,” said Chief Medical Executive and MDHHS Chief Deputy for Health Dr. Joneigh Khaldun.
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