Tag Archives: COVID-19

Weekend Numbers Show Lowest Number of Deaths Since March

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According to the State of Michigan, the total number of COVID cases in Michigan rose to 47,138, an increase of 382 cases from the previous day. This total was equivalent to 472 cases per 100,000 people (Chart 4) on May 10. The five-day rolling average for the total number of COVID cases (Chart 1) reflects a smoother curve and adjusts for fluctuations in testing and/or the quality of reporting or failure to report. That curve continues to trend upward, but the number of new COVID cases identified each day in Southeastern Michigan has been steadily decreasing for about a month. Detroit reported the highest number of daily cases at 72 on May 8 (Chart 3). Note that this five day rolling average causes these daily case and daily death charts to lag two days behind.

Chart 2 shows how that while the curve is flattening in Southeastern Michigan, based on the five-day rolling averages, there are still small increases in the total number of COVID cases in Southeastern Michigan. The number of cumulative COVID cases remains the highest in Detroit at 9,649 on May 8, with Wayne County following at a reported 8,170 cases. On May 8, the five-day rolling average for the number of COVID cases in Oakland County was 7,658, and Macomb County reported 5,946.

The daily data highlighted in these posts is from Michigan.gov/coronavirus, where data is updated daily at 3 p.m. Historical data were supplied from covidtracking.com, which republishes COVID data from the State.

The City of Detroit had 1,455 COVID cases per 100,000 people on May 10, an increase from 1,443 the day before (Chart 4). This is based upon a reported increase of 77 new cases, bringing the total number of COVID cases in Detroit to 9,786. Wayne County reported 1,232 cases per 100,000 people, and Oakland County had 1,150 cases per 100,000 people. These per capita rates were based upon 8,289 total cases for Wayne and 7,736 for Oakland. Macomb County reported 898 cases per 100,000 people, which is based upon 6,042 cases.

Chart 5 shows that the per capita rate for the number of new daily COVID cases per 100,000 people remained fairly stable for Detroit over the last few days. Detroit’s rate was reported at 11 new daily COVID cases per 100,000 people on May 10 (equal to 77 new cases), an increase from 9 the day before. Oakland and St. Clair counties were the only other two government entities that reported a rate increase between May 9 and May 10; both entities reported per capita rates of 3 new cases per 100,000 people.  Oakland County reported 44 new COVID cases on May 10 while St. Clair County reported 4 new cases. Wayne County reported a per capita rate of 4 new cases per 100,000 people on May 10, which was equivalent to 38 new cases, and Macomb County reported a rate of 3, which was equivalent to 23 new cases. Over the weekend (May 9 and 10) the 77 new cases Detroit reported on May 10 was the highest number across these local governments.

The State’s per capita rate was 3.8 new cases per 100,000 people, equivalent to 382 new cases. In total, of the 680 new cases, Southeastern Michigan accounted for 195 of them.

In Chart 6 the five-day rolling average for the number of deaths shows a continuing steady increase (a lagged number of 4,413 deaths, an increase of 74 deaths). The actual reported COVID-19 deaths reached 4,551 on May 10, an increase of 25 deaths from the day prior. Of those 25 daily deaths reported on May 10, 18 were in Southeastern Michigan. Overall, the 25 daily deaths reported on May 10 is the lowest number that has been reported in the State since March. On May 9 the State reported 133 additional deaths, however 67 of those were added to the May 9 total as a result of comparing death certificates and the State’s COVID database. The number of additional COVID deaths reported on Sunday was a substantial decrease in reported daily deaths. We hope that this is a trend that will continue, however recently COVID data reported to the State over the weekend is lower than what is reported during the week. 

Chart 7 portrays how the total number of COVID deaths in Southeastern Michigan continues to increase, but that rate has been gradually declining overall, showing that the curve is slowly starting to flatten. The rate at which the number of deaths is increasing in Detroit and Wayne and Oakland counties has been hovering in the mid-teens for the last several days. Detroit continues to have the highest cumulative number of COVID deaths though, inching toward 1,200.

Chart 8 shows that the number of daily deaths in Michigan continues to decline overall, despite a small uptick late last week. On May 8 though the numbers decreased again. Chart 9 shows that Detroit and Oakland and  Macomb counties contributed to the decrease in the total number of daily deaths in Michigan. Detroit reported 16 daily deaths, while Oakland County reported 14 additional deaths and Macomb reported 10. None of those entities reported a decline of more than 2 deaths from the day prior. Aside from those three entities, the other five counties in Southeastern Michigan reported the same number of additional deaths as the day prior, further showing that the curve is in fact flattening.

Chart 10 portrays the total number of COVID deaths per 100,000 people. As of May 10, the cumulative total of COVID deaths per 100,000 people in Detroit was 176 (representing 1,187 deaths). In Wayne County there were 135 COVID deaths per 100,000 people (910 total deaths), in Oakland County there were 125 deaths per 100,000 people (843 total deaths), and in Macomb County there were 104 COVID deaths per 100,000 people (698 total).

The State of Michigan had 45 COVID deaths per 100,000 people, a rate that continues to remain lower than the four entities discussed above.

The fatality rate for Detroit and Macomb, Oakland and Macomb counties reached 11 percent or higher on May 10, with Detroit having the highest rate at 12.2 percent. The State’s fatality rate also gradually increased to 9.7 percent.

One reason we may be seeing such high fatality rates in Michigan is due to the low testing rates. When only having-presumably-a lower of number confirmed COVID cases than is actually likely due to the limited availability of tests, the fatality rate appears higher because the base comparison is smaller than it might be.

While the State reported its lowest number of daily deaths since March on May 10 (25), it also reported that 22,686 people have recovered from the virus. These statistics coupled with the fact that the curves for the total number of COVID cases and deaths are flattening show signs that we are beginning to overcome the virus. However, the key word is beginning. Many of those who have been deemed as “recovered” are still battling longer-term affects from the virus, according to a recent Free Press article. Additionally, just because the curve is flattening now doesn’t mean there won’t be another spike in cases and deaths in the future. This could very easily happen if the Stay-at-Home order is broken too soon or people begin to disregard other health recommendations, such as wearing a mask in public and/or congregating in groups. Ultimately, the risk of community spread for the virus remains high and the long-term effects once someone is infected still remain fairly unknown. This is why we must continued to heed the recommendations set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and the State.

COVID Deaths Continue to Decrease in Southeastern Michigan

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According to the State of Michigan, the total number of COVID cases in Michigan rose to 43,754, an increase of 547 cases from the previous day. This total was equivalent to 438 cases per 100,000 people (Chart 4) on May 3. The five-day rolling average for the total number of COVID cases (Chart 1) reflects a smoother curve and adjusts for fluctuations in testing and/or the quality of reporting or failure to report. That curve continues to move steadily upward, with the rate of increase veering up over the weekend. Note that this five day rolling average causes  these daily case and the daily death charts to lag two days behind.

Chart 2 reflects the five-day rolling averages at the County level and for the City of Detroit. The number of COVID cases in Detroit continue to increase and remain the highest in the region; the City reported 9,168 as of May 1. Wayne County continues to pull away from the other counties in the region, having the second highest cumulative number of cases at 7,751. On May 1 the five-day rolling average for the number of COVID cases in Oakland County was 7,368, and for Macomb County the reported number was 5,598.

Chart 3 shows that Detroit again had the highest number of new daily cases on May 1 but the overall rate of change was slightly downward. Wayne and Oakland counties experienced a decrease in the number of new confirmed COVID cases while Macomb County experienced an increase.

The daily data highlighted in these posts is from Michigan.gov/coronavirus, where data is updated daily at 3 p.m. Historical data were supplied from covidtracking.com, which republishes COVID data from the State.

The City of Detroit had 1,395 COVID cases per 100,000 people on May 1, an increase from 1,380 the day before (Chart 4). This is based upon a reported increase of 106 new cases, bringing the total number of COVID cases in Detroit to 9,386. Wayne County reported 1,176 cases per 100,000 people, and Oakland County had 1,118 cases per 100,000 people. These May 3 per capita rates were based upon 7,912 total cases for Wayne and 7,518 for Oakland. Macomb County reported 856 cases per 100,000 people, which is based upon 5,756 cases.

Chart 5 shows that Detroit continues to have the highest number of new daily COVID cases per 100,000 people, but experienced a decline on May 3 while Macomb and Wayne counties experienced an increase. Detroit had 16 new COVID cases per 100,000 people, which was equivalent to 106 new cases. Wayne County had 8 new cases per 100,000 people on May 3, which was equivalent to 86 new cases, and Macomb County had 10 new cases per 100,000 people, which was equivalent to 90 new cases. Oakland County also experienced a decline in the per capita rate for new daily COVID cases. On May 3, Oakland had 3 new COVID cases per 100,000 people, equating to 43 new cases.

 The State’s per capita rate was 5.4 new cases per 100,000 people, equivalent to 547 new cases.

In Chart 6 the five-day rolling average for the number of deaths shows a continuing steady increase (a lagged number of 3,879 deaths, an increase of 60 deaths). The actual reported COVID-19 deaths reached 4,049 on May 3, an increase of 29 deaths from the day prior. Chart 7, a five-day rolling average chart, shows the number of daily additional deaths has been declining overall since April 23. The trends in Chart 9 further show a clear pattern of decline in the number of additional daily deaths across Detroit and the counties of Southeastern Michigan.

Chart 8, a five-day rolling average for the number of cumulative COVID deaths by each county, shows how the number of deaths in Detroit continue to rise at a more rapid rate than any of the other government entities in the region. However, the City’s rate of increase has declined in the last few days, and may continue to do so as the number of new deaths in the City also continue to decline. Despite this, Detroit also continues to have the highest number of COVID deaths. Second to Detroit, Wayne County has the highest number of total reported COVID deaths, and those numbers are increasing at a rate faster than Macomb and Oakland counties. Of the three largest counties and Detroit, Macomb County’s total number of COVID deaths is increasing at the slowest rate.

Chart 9 shows a steep decline in the number of daily deaths in Detroit, a decline that has been occurring since April 23. This continued decline put Wayne and Oakland counties ahead of Detroit for the number of daily COVID deaths. The most recent drop in the number of additional daily deaths for Detroit may reflect a a lag in reporting, however. On May 3 Detroit didn’t report any new deaths, which has not happened since the first reported COVID death in March.

Chart 10 represents the total number of COVID deaths per 100,000 people. For Detroit on May 3 there were 161 COVID deaths per 100,000 people (representing 1,085 deaths). In Wayne County there were 120 COVID deaths per 100,000 people (808 total deaths), in Oakland County there were 113 deaths per 100,000 people (757 total deaths), and in Macomb County there were 93 COVID deaths per 1000,000 people on May 3 (628 total). The State of Michigan had 41 COVID deaths per 100,000 people, a rate that continues to remain lower than the four entities discussed above. On May 3 Oakland County reported the highest number of additional deaths at 12; the State of Michigan had 29 deaths reported total.

The case fatality rate in Detroit remained above 11 percent (11.6%) on May 3 while Macomb County’s dipped just below (10.9%). Washtenaw County has been experiencing a recent increase in its fatality rate. On May 3 Washtenaw County had a fatality rate of 6.4 percent. The reported fatality rate for the State on May 3 was 9.3 percent.

The number of new COVID deaths continues to decrease around the region. However, Detroit didn’t report any new deaths on Sunday, May 3, and this has not happened since the first reported COVID death. Despite this, the data does show the number of COVID deaths has been declining in Detroit, the region and the State.

COVID Deaths in Detroit Surpass 1,000; New Daily Death Numbers Decreasing

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According to the State of Michigan, the total number of COVID cases in Michigan rose above 40,000 on April 29, bringing the new total to 40,399, an increase of 1,137 cases from the previous day. This total  was equivalent to 404.5 cases per 100,000 people (Chart 4) on April 29. The five-day rolling average for the total number of COVID cases (Chart 1) reflects a smoother curve and adjusts for fluctuations in testing or the quality of reporting or failure to report. The five day rolling average means  our daily case and death charts lags two days behind. Based on this approach, the COVID cases increased to 38,570.

In Chart 2, which reflects the five-day rolling averages at the County level and for the City of Detroit,  we continue to see Detroit and Wayne County having the highest number of cases at 8,722 and 7,245 on April 27, respectively.  Those case numbers appear to be increasing at a higher rate than those in Oakland and Macomb counties, which were recorded at 6,979 and 5,291, respectively on April 27. Additionally, we have yet to see slower rate of increase in the number of cases at the State level and in Detroit, Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties.

We continue to see both an overall and recent decline in the number of new daily COVID cases in Chart 3. While the number of new reported cases is reliant on testing for the virus, there is hope that the decrease in new cases reflects a slower spread of the virus.

The daily data highlighted in these posts is from Michigan.gov/coronavirus, where data is updated daily at 3 p.m. Historical data was supplied from covidtracking.com, which republishes COVID data from the State.

The City of Detroit had 1,332 COVID cases per 100,000 people on April 29, an increase from 1,310 the day before (Chart 4). This is based upon a reported increase of 146 new cases, bringing the total number of COVID cases in Detroit to 8,957. Wayne County reported 1,120 cases per 100,000 people, and Oakland County had 1,064 cases per 100,000. These April 29 per capita rates were based upon 7,537 cases for Wayne and 7,159 for Oakland. Macomb County reported 807 cases per 100,000 people, which is based upon 5,430 cases.

Chart 5 shows that Detroit and Wayne County had the highest number of new COVID cases per 100,000 people on April 29. Detroit had 22 new COVID cases on April 29 per 100,000, which was equivalent to 146 new cases, and Wayne County continued to have 16 new cases per 100,000 people (the same rate as the day before) which was equivalent to 175 new cases. This chart also shows that Oakland County’s per capita rate of new COVID cases per 100,000 people rose above the State’s rate on April 29. Oakland County’s rate was 12 new COVID cases per 100,000 people, which was equivalent to 147 new cases, and Michigan’s rate was 11.4 new COVID cases per day. The State’s per capita rate was equivalent to 1,137 new cases per day.

In Chart 6 the five-day rolling average for the number of deaths shows a continuing steady increase (a lagged number of 3,446 deaths, an increase of 117 deaths). The actual reported COVID-19 deaths reached 3,670 on April 29, an increase of 103 deaths from the day prior. Chart 7, a five-day rolling average chart, shows how the new data reflects another decline in the number of additional deaths statewide.

Chart 8, a five-day rolling average for the number of COVID deaths by each county, shows how Detroit continues to pull farther away from the other units in Southeastern Michigan when looking at the total number of COVID deaths. Wayne County, which has the second highest number of deaths, and Oakland County follow a similar pattern in COVID death totals and remain close in their numbers. Macomb County consistently has the fourth highest total number of deaths and its rate of increase appears to have experienced an uptick since mid-April.

Chart 9 shows how Detroit’s numbers of additional deaths have been declining, which is likely part of the cause of the decline at the state level. The same pattern is occurring  in Oakland County’s counts of additional deaths.  The number of daily deaths in Macomb County has been increasing over the last several days though.

Chart 10 represents the total number of COVID deaths per 100,000 people. For Detroit on April 29 there were 150 COVID deaths per 100,000 people (representing 1,008 deaths). In Wayne County there were 107 COVID deaths per 100,000 people (719 total deaths), in Oakland County there were 99 deaths per 100,000 people (668 total deaths), and in Macomb County there were 89 COVID deaths per 1000,000 people on April 29 (597 total). The State of Michigan had 38 COVID deaths per 100,000 people, a rate which was lower than the four entities discussed above. Wayne and Macomb counties both reported 25 new deaths on April 29; Detroit had 20.

The fatality rate in the City of the Detroit increased to 11.3 percent on April 29, which is higher than the State’s fatality rate (9.1 percent) and the rates of the counties in Southeastern Michigan. The fatality rate in Macomb County continued to increase on April 29, reaching 11 percent for the first time. The fatality rate in Monroe County continued to decline.

The total number of deaths in Detroit surpassed 1,000 on April 29, accounting for 27% of the 3,670 deaths in the State. So, while the number of daily deaths in Detroit has been declining in recent days, it’s clear the overall impact of the virus continues to hit Detroit hard. Detroit has experienced the largest decline in the number of additional COVID deaths in recent days, which could be a cautious sign of hope.

Rate of Spread in Southeastern Michigan Shows Signs of Slowing

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According to the State of Michigan, the total number of COVID cases in Michigan increased to 38,210 on April 28, which was an increase of 432 cases from the previous day. This total  was equivalent to 393 cases per 100,000 people (Chart 4) on April 28. The five-day rolling average for the total number of COVID cases (Chart 1) reflects a smoother curve and adjusts for fluctuations in testing or the quality of reporting or failure to report. The five day rolling average means  our daily case and death charts will lag two days behind. Based on this approach, the COVID cases increased to 37,819. While the increase in the number of cases has slowed down, both Charts 1 and 2 show that we have yet to reach a plateau at the State level and for the largest counties in Southeastern Michigan. In Chart 2 it appears the counties (Wayne, Oakland and Macomb) and Detroit are experiencing a slower rate of increase now than the State of Michigan, but the increase is still there. The State’s continued increase is likely a result of increased COVID spread in areas such as Kent County, where health officials said they don’t expect a peak for another few weeks, according to Bridge Magazine.

Chart 2 reflects the five-day rolling averages at the County level and for the City of Detroit. Detroit continues to have the highest number of confirmed cases, recorded at 8,625 on April 26.  The number of cases in Wayne County increased to 7,125 for a five-day rolling average on April 26 while in Oakland County the number of cases increased to 6,908 and in Macomb County it increased to 5,210.

Chart 3 does show though an overall decline in the number of new daily COVID cases, with exception of a couple single day spikes for Detroit, Oakland, Macomb, Washtenaw and Wayne counties. With the continued increase in attempts to test more people for the virus it is very likely these spikes are a result of increased testing.

The daily data highlighted in these posts is from Michigan.gov/coronavirus, where data is updated daily at 3 p.m. Historical data was supplied from covidtracking.com, which republishes COVID data from the State.

The City of Detroit had 1,310 COVID cases per 100,000 people on April 28, an increase from 1,290 the day before (Chart 4). This is based upon a reported increase of 132 new cases, bringing the total number of COVID cases in Detroit to 8,811. Wayne County reported 1,094 cases per 100,000 people, and Oakland County had 1,042 cases per 100,000. These per capita rates were based upon 7,362 and 7,012 COVID cases on April 28, respectively. Macomb County reported 794 cases per 100,000 people, which is based upon 5,339 cases.

Chart 5 shows that Detroit and Wayne County had the highest number of new COVID cases per 100,000 people on April 28. Detroit had 20 new COVID cases on April 28 per 100,000, which was equivalent to 132 new cases, and Wayne County had 16 new cases per 100,000 people which was equivalent to 169 new cases.

In Chart 6 the five-day rolling average for the number of deaths shows a continuing steady increase (a lagged number of 3,330 deaths, an increase of 118 deaths). The actual reported COVID-19 deaths reached 3,567 on April 28, an increase of 160 deaths from the day prior. Of the 160 reported new deaths, 40 of them were added to the April 28 daily total because of Vital Records and coronavirus database comparison the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services does three times a week. Chart 7, a five-day rolling average chart, reflects a smoother data set for instances such as this. Overall, Chart 7 indicates a recent decline in the number of new daily COVID deaths.

Chart 8, a five-day rolling average for the number of COVID deaths by each county, shows that the total number of deaths in Detroit continues to have a far higher rate of increase than the other units. Wayne County is second, followed by Oakland and Macomb counties. Each county but Monroe and St. Clair experienced an increase in the total number of deaths. These increases continue to be represented in Chart 9, but show a recent decline in the number of daily deaths for Detroit and Oakland County. Macomb County on the other hand has experienced a recent increase.

Chart 10 represents the total number of COVID deaths per 100,000 people. For Detroit on April 28 there were 147 COVID deaths per 100,000 people (representing 988 deaths). In Wayne County there were 103 COVID deaths per 100,000 people (694 total deaths), in Oakland County there were 97 deaths per 100,000 people (654 total deaths) and in Macomb County there were 85 COVID deaths per 1000,000 people on April 28 (572 total). The State of Michigan had 36 COVID deaths per 100,000 people, a rate which was lower than the four entities discussed above. Additionally, Macomb County experienced the highest number of new daily COVID deaths at 45 on April 28; Detroit had 38 new deaths.

The fatality rate in the City of the Detroit increased to 11.2 percent on April 28, which is higher than the State’s fatality rate (9.1 percent) and the rates of the counties in Southeastern Michigan. The fatality rate in Macomb County also spiked up on April 28 to 10.7 percent. The increases in these rates may be reflective of the additional 40 deaths the State reported on April 28 as a result of their database comparison method to discover additional COVID deaths. Monroe and Washtenaw counties experienced small decreases in their fatality rates.

The rate at which the virus is spreading in Southeastern Michigan appears to be declining at a faster rate than the spread statewide. This is likely because areas such as Kent County are not expecting their peak until mid-May. Such factors will certainly a play a role in determining what regions of the state will re-open when. Just because one area lags behind in terms of the rate of spread does not mean another area can’t experience a second peak due to travel, even within the state. 

Five-Day Rolling Averages Paint More Vivid Picture on COVID Spread in Michigan

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The total number of COVID cases in Michigan increased to 37,778 on April 26 (Chart 1), compared to  37,203 the day before; this was a 575 daily case increase. This was equivalent to 378 cases per 100,000 people (Chart 2) on April 26.

In Chart 2, and subsequent Charts throughout this post (Charts 4, 9, 12, 15), you will also see the five-day rolling averages for the number of confirmed cases and deaths throughout the State and Southeastern Michigan. By using a 5-day simple moving average we are able to smooth out the data, making it less sensitive to changes in testing. This formula helps to adjust for changes or increasing in testing or fluctuations in the quality of reporting or failure to report.  Technically, we take information from the two days before and two days after in addition to information from the reported data from each day and sum that information and divide by 5. On April 24, which is the most recent data we have for the 5-day rolling average, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Michigan was 36,176.

The total number of COVID cases reported to date in the City of Detroit reached 8,613 on April 26. Wayne County (excluding Detroit) had 7,135 cases, Oakland County had 6,928 cases, and Macomb County had 5,203 cases (Chart 3). The number of confirmed cases in Washtenaw, Livingston, Monroe and St. Clair counties combined totaled 1,892, a 50 case increase since Friday.

Chart 4 reflects the 5-day rolling averages at the County level and for the City of Detroit. As was shown in Chart 3, Detroit continues to have the highest number of confirmed cases, recorded at 8,395 on April 24. Oakland and Wayne counties follow similar trends in these daily reports. On April 24 Oakland County had 6,742 cases and Wayne County had 6,856 cases. 

The daily data highlighted in these posts is from Michigan.gov/coronavirus, where data is updated daily at 3 p.m. Historical data was supplied from covidtracking.com, which republishes COVID data from the State.

people on April 26, an increase from 1,271 the day before (Chart 5). Wayne County reported 1,061 cases per 100,000 people, and Oakland County’s cases per 100,000 was 1,030. Macomb County had 773 COVID cases per 100,000 people. Wayne County experienced the highest increase at 20 cases per capita between April 25 and April 26. Additionally, this chart shows the number of COVID cases in Michigan per 100,000 people was 378.3. Detroit, Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties all had higher per capita rates than the State.

Chart 6 shows that the daily increases in the number of new COVID cases.

Wayne County had the highest increase in the number of new daily COVID cases at 135 on April 26. In fact, Wayne and St. Clair counties were the only two to post COVID increases between April 25 and April 26. St. Clair County had 5 total new COVID cases, which was 2 more than the day before. Detroit had 65 new cases on April 26, a decrease from the 75 posted the day before. Oakland County reported 47 new COVID cases on April 26 while Macomb County reported 64.

Chart 7 further shows how Wayne County was the only one in the region to exhibit a visible increase in the number of daily confirmed COVID cases. Wayne County reported 13 new COVID cases per 100,000 people while Detroit reported 10, Oakland County reported 4 and Macomb County reported 7.

It was reported by the State of Michigan that on April 26 the total of COVID-19 deaths reached 3,315 (Chart 8). The 3,315 total deaths reported for April 26 was 41 deaths higher than what was reported on April 25 (Chart 10). The 41 new deaths reported on April 26 was the lowest number of new deaths reported in the State since March 29.

Chart 9 is another new chart showing the 5-day rolling average for total COVID deaths in Michigan. On April 24 there were 3,093 deaths.

Of the total number of raw deaths reported, Detroit and Wayne County each had 10 new deaths, Oakland County had 8 and Macomb County had 3 on April 26. The number of new deaths reported on April 26 is significantly lower than the numbers reported on April 25-Detroit alone had 73 new deaths on April 25 and Wayne County had 35 new deaths (Chart 14). The addition of these new daily deaths brings the totals to the following: 922 COVID deaths in Detroit, 520 in Macomb County, 620 in Oakland County, and 658 in Wayne County (Chart 11).

When looking at the 5-day rolling averages for the number of new daily COVID deaths and overall death totals we again see smoother lines, specifically in Chart 15. Using the 5-day rolling average for the number of new daily COVID deaths we see the growth of COVID deaths over time, but it appears each governmental unit is now showing declines in their rolling averages. The number of new daily COVID deaths peaked on April 9 in Oakland County at 26, for Wayne County the peak occurred on April 11 at 34 new deaths and for Macomb County the peak was on April 15 with 31 new deaths. Detroit appeared to peak at 54 cases and dropped to 39. Wayne and Oakland counties reported 22 and 23 new deaths, respectively.  Even with a rolling average, the tendency for deaths to drop on weekends because of slower reporting could be a reason for these results.

The cumulative number of COVID fatalities per 100,000 people was 137 for Detroit, 98 for Wayne County, 92 for Oakland County and 77 for Macomb County (Chart 13).

Chart 16  shows that the fatality rate for Michigan slightly decreased to 8.7 percent; it was at 8.8 percent the day prior. The fatality rates for Macomb County, Detroit and Wayne County all remained above the State’s rate (the dotted red line) on April 26. Detroit’s fatality rate became the highest in region at 10.7 percent while Macomb County’s decreased to 10 percent. Oakland and Wayne counties had fatality rates at 9 and 9.2 percent, respectively.

The data has shown possible slowing of the spread of the virus in Michigan has slowed down. However, a Free Press article from April 26 said testing has slowed down in Michigan due to a shortage of supplies, such as swabs and reagents. With a decrease in the number of tests available this will certainly impact the number of cases the state reports.

Number of New Daily COVID Cases, Deaths Decrease in Michigan

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The total number of COVID cases in Michigan increased to 32,000 (Chart 1), which was equivalent to 320 cases per 100,000 people (Chart 2) on April 20. The number of new cases reported on April 20 for the State of Michigan—576–is the lowest that has been reported since March 26, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

 Of the total COVID cases, the City of Detroit had 7,736 cases, Oakland County had 6,178 cases, Wayne County (excluding Detroit) had 6,176 cases and Macomb County had 4,425 cases (Chart 3). In the early weeks of April Wayne County (excluding Detroit) regularly had a fewer total number of COVID cases than Oakland County. However, the April 20 data shows that now Wayne County only has two less cases than Oakland County. This highlights a decreasing rate of spread in Oakland County and an increasing rate of spread in Wayne County (excluding Detroit). The number of confirmed cases in Washtenaw, Livingston, Monroe and St. Clair counties combined totaled 1,654, with Washtenaw County accounting for 878 of those cases,  according to the most recent data from the State.

The daily data highlighted in these posts is from Michigan.gov/coronavirus, where data is updated daily at 3 p.m. Historical data was supplied from covidtracking.com, which republishes COVID data from the State.

The City of Detroit had a total COVID case per capita rate of 1,150 per 100,000 people on April 20, an increase from a rate of 1,130 the day before (Chart 4). Oakland and Wayne counties (excluding Detroit) both had rates of 918 per 100,00 people. The rate for Wayne County increased more (increased by 13 points) than the Oakland County rate (increased by 10 points), further showing that the spread in Wayne County is increasing faster than in Oakland County. Macomb County had 658 COVID cases per 100,000 people.

Chart 5 shows that the City of Detroit was the only government entity focused on in this blog to post triple digit new positive COVID case numbers for April 20. According to the data, Detroit had 132 new COVID cases on April 20; Wayne County (excluding Detroit) had 88 new cases. In Oakland County the number of new cases on April 20 was 69, and in Macomb County it was 65. Monroe County posted the lowest number of new cases on April 20 at 3.

According to the data, Detroit had a rate of 20 new COVID cases per 100,000 people on April 20, reflective of a continued rate increase since April 17 (Chart 6). Livingston, St. Clair and Washtenaw counties were the only other government entities to post new daily COVID case rate increases from the day prior. In Macomb County, the daily COVID case rate was 7 per 100,000 people on April 20, a decrease from 12 new COVID cases per 100,000 people on April 19. Oakland County had a rate of 5 new COVID cases per 100,000 people on April 20, a decrease from a rate of 7 reported the day before (Chart 6). Also, on April 20 Wayne County reported a new COVID case rate of 8 per 100,000 people, a decrease from the rate of 11 reported on April 19. 

In addition to the raw data of confirmed cases, we also show the percent change in the number of cases reported day-to-day. On April 20 the percent change from April 19 was 1.8 percent, a small decrease from the day’s prior change of 2 percent.

It was reported by the State of Michigan that on April 20 the total of COVID-19 deaths reached 2,468. This was a 3.2 percent change from April 19, which was a 0.4 percent decrease in the percent change in new daily deaths from the day prior (Chart 9). The 2,468  total deaths reported for April 20 was 77 deaths higher than what was reported on April 19 (Chart 10); this was 11 less deaths than the number of daily deaths reported on April 19. Also, the April 20 number was the lowest of new daily COVID deaths reported since April 5; 77 new deaths were reported that day too.

Of the total deaths reported, the number of COVID deaths in Detroit increased by 23 between April 20 and April 19. On April 20 the total  COVID deaths across time for Detroit was 641 (Chart 11). Also on April 20, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services also reported 507 total deaths in Wayne County (excluding Detroit), 479 in Oakland County and 403 in Macomb County (Chart 11). 

On a per capita basis, per 100,000 people, Detroit also continues to have the highest number of deaths per 100,000 people at 95 on April 20; this is 20 points higher than Wayne County’s rate of 75 COVID deaths per 100,000 people (Chart 12). Oakland County had 71 COVID deaths per 100,000 people and Macomb County had 60.

As noted, Detroit had 23 new COVID deaths on April 20-this was the highest number of new daily deaths in the region, but was a decrease in the new number of daily deaths reported on April 19. Macomb County reported the second highest number of new deaths at 12 on April 20; Macomb County was the only government entity to post an increase in the number of new COVID deaths from April 19. For Oakland County, the number of new daily deaths was 8, a continued decrease since April 16, and in Wayne County there were 6 new deaths.

The final two charts below show the case death rates for the State of Michigan and for Detroit and the seven counties in Southeastern Michigan. To determine the rates we divided the reported deaths from each day by the number of total COVID cases each day.

On April 20 the COVID case fatality rate in Michigan was 7.7 percent; a slight increase from the 7.6 percent death rate reported the day before.

Of Detroit and the counties in the region, Macomb County continued have the highest case fatality rate at 9.1 percent on April 20. The fatality rate for Detroit was 8.3 percent on April 20, and in Wayne County (excluding Detroit) it was 8.2 percent. The fatality rate in Oakland County was 7.8 percent on April 20.

These fatality rates are very sensitive to the number of tests that are being completed across the region. In states or countries where far more testing is completed, death rates may be substantially lower. The failure of the CDC to complete and broadly distribute an early and accurate test has had huge consequences.

On April 20 Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced that following the May 1 expiration of the Stay at Home Order life will not go back to normal immediately. Instead, businesses and life as we know it will resume slowly and in phases. Whitmer also said her plans, which are yet to be announced, will be data driven. And, as the data has shown thus far, the spread of the virus has certainly slowed but it is still very prevalent throughout Southeastern Michigan.

Macomb County’s COVID Death Rate Highest in the Region

by Drawing Detroit | Leave a comment

The total number of COVID cases in Michigan increased to 31,424 (Chart 1), which was equivalent to 314 cases per 100,000 people (Chart 2) on April 19. Of those total COVID cases, the City of Detroit had 7,604 cases, Oakland County had 6,109 cases, Wayne County (excluding Detroit) had 6,088 cases and Macomb County had 4,360 cases (Chart 3).  The number of confirmed cases in Washtenaw, Livingston, Monroe and St. Clair counties combined totaled 1,626, with Washtenaw County accounting for 870 of those cases,  according to the most recent data from the State.

The daily data highlighted in these posts is from Michigan.gov/coronavirus, where data is updated daily at 3 p.m. Historical data was supplied from covidtracking.com, which republishes COVID data from the State.

In Chart 4 we see that the City of Detroit has consistently had the highest number of COVID cases per 100,000 people, which was a rate of 1,130 on April 19. Oakland County had the second highest rate at 908 cases per 100,000 people and Wayne County (excluding Detroit) had 905 cases. Macomb County had 648 COVID cases per 100,000 people.

Chart 5 shows that there have been increases in the number of new daily COVID cases for Detroit and Macomb and Monroe counties. The number of new cases in Detroit on April 19 was 107, an increased from the new reported new cases of 83 on April 18. In Macomb County the number of new cases on April 19 was 109 and in Monroe County it was 9. For Oakland County, there was 88 new COVID cases reported on April 19, a continued decrease in the number of new cases since April 14. Wayne County has been experiencing a decrease in the number of new cases since April 16; on April 19 Wayne County reported 114 new cases.

According to the data, Detroit had a rate of 16 new COVID cases per 100,000 people on April 19; this was an increase through the weekend but a rate that is about half what it was during last week, and it was huge drop from Detroit’s peak. Macomb County was the only other county in the region with a rate about 10; Macomb County had a rate of 12 new COVID cases per 100,000 people on April 19 (Chart 6). 

In addition to the raw data of confirmed cases, we also show the percent change in the number of cases reported day-to-day. On April 19 the percent change from April 18 was 2 percent, a decrease from the day’s prior change of 2.6 percent.

It was reported by the State of Michigan that on April 19 the total of COVID-19 deaths reached 2,391. This was a 3.6 percent change from April 18, which was nearly same as the percent change in new daily deaths from the day prior (Chart 9). The 2,391 total deaths reported for April 19 was 83 deaths higher than what was reported on April 17 (Chart 10); this was two deaths higher than the number of daily deaths reported on April 18.

Of the total deaths reported, the number of COVID deaths in Detroit increased by 29 from the day prior. On April 19 the total  COVID deaths across time was 619 (Chart 11). Also on April 19, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services also reported 501 total deaths in Wayne County (excluding Detroit), 471 in Oakland County and 391 in Macomb County (Chart 11). 

On a per capita basis, per 100,000 people, Detroit also continues to have the highest number of deaths per 100,000 people at 92 on April 19 (Chart 12). Wayne County had 74 COVID deaths per 100,000 people, Oakland County had 70 and Macomb County had 58.

Chart 13  shows that Detroit reported the highest number of new deaths on April 19 at 29; Wayne County reported 20 new daily deaths, and Oakland County reported 13. For Oakland County, the number of new daily deaths has continued to decrease since April 16; also note the number of new cases in Oakland County has been decreasing since April 14.

The final two charts below show the case death rates for the State of Michigan and for Detroit and the seven counties in Southeastern Michigan. To determine the rates we divided the reported deaths from each day by the number of total COVID cases each day.

On April 19 the COVID case death rate in Michigan was 7.5 percent; a slight increase from the 7.4 percent death rate reported the day before.

Of Detroit and the counties in the region, Macomb County had the highest case death rate on April 19 at 9 percent; it has been the highest since April 14. Wayne County (excluding Detroit) also had a higher death rate than Detroit. Wayne County’s death rate was 8.2 percent on April 19 and Detroit’s was 8.1 percent. The death rate for Oakland County was 7.7 percent, and, while the number of new cases and new deaths has been decreasing since in Oakland County over the last few days the death rate has been increasing.

These rates of death are very sensitive to the number of tests that are being completed across the region. In state or countries where far more testing is completed, death rates may be substantially lower. The failure of the CDC to complete and broadly distribute an early and accurate test has had huge consequences.

As the number of new COVID cases and deaths is increasing at a slower rate we do see that death rates for at least Detroit, Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties are still increasing. While we know that the Stay at Home order is playing a large role in slowing the spread of the virus, how the virus is affecting those who have been infected is something we must watch, both in terms of death rates and other long-term effects for survivors.

Detroit, Wayne County Remain Epicenter for Coronavirus

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The total number of COVID cases in Michigan increased to 29,263 (Chart 1), which was equivalent to 293 cases per 100,000 people (Chart 2) on April 16. Of those total COVID cases, the City of Detroit had 7,382 cases, Oakland County had 5,778 cases, Wayne County (excluding Detroit) had 5,619 cases and Macomb County had 3,992 cases (Chart 3).  The number of confirmed cases in Washtenaw, Livingston, Monroe and St. Clair counties combined totaled 1,538, with Washtenaw County accounting for 826 of those cases,  according to the most recent data from the State.

The daily data highlighted in these posts is from Michigan.gov/coronavirus, where data is updated daily at 3 p.m. Historical data was supplied from covidtracking.com, which republishes COVID data from the State.

In Chart 4 we see that the City of Detroit has consistently had the highest number of COVID cases per 100,000 people, which was a rate of 1,097 on April 16. Oakland County had the second highest rate at 859 cases per 100,000 people and Wayne County (excluding Detroit) had 835 cases. Macomb County had 593 COVID cases per 100,000 people. When looking at Chart 4 we also see that there were per capita increases for every county between April 15 and April 16, with Detroit having the largest day-to-day per capita rate increase at 36.

Chart 5 shows that Detroit, Macomb, St. Clair, Wayne and Washtenaw counties experienced decreases in the number of new COVID cases between April 15 and April 16. On April 16, Detroit reported the highest number of new COVID cases at 246. Wayne County had 211 new cases, Oakland County had 202 and Macomb County had 200. Washtenaw County had the fifth highest number in the region at 28 new cases.

When looking at new COVID cases on a per capita basis, the data shows that Detroit and Macomb County still have the highest rates (Chart 6). According to the data, on April 16 Detroit had 37 new COVID cases per 100,000 people and Macomb County had 23 new COVID cases per 100,000 people; Wayne County had 20 and Oakland County had 16.  In Oakland County, the number of new COVID cases per 100,000 people has been decreasing since April 14.

In addition to the raw data of confirmed cases, we also show the percent change in the number of cases reported day-to-day. On April 16 the percent change from April 15 was 4.29 percent, an increase from the day’s prior change of 4 percent.

Originally, we were reporting the day-to-day percent change in the number of cases from March 16. However, there was a spike in the number of tests available early on that made this data set also spike (on March 18 the day-to-day percent change as 320%). We have now started showing percent change data from March 21 forward to allow readers a more precise visual. If you would like to see the earlier versions of this data set please review our earlier posts. 

It was reported by the State of Michigan that on April 16 the total of COVID-19 deaths reached 2,093. This was a 9 percent increase from April 15, which had a slightly smaller increase of 8.7 percent of the day prior (Chart 9). The 2,093 total deaths reported for April 16 was 172 deaths higher than what was reported on April 15 (Chart 10). According to the State of Michigan, the reported increase in deaths on April 16 is related to a new weekly death certificate review the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has put in place. As a part of this process, records that identify COVID-19 infection as a contributing factor to death are compared against all laboratory confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Michigan Disease Surveillance System (MDSS). If a death certificate is matched to a confirmed COVID-19 case and that record in the MDSS does not indicate a death, the MDSS record is updated to indicate the death and the appropriate local health department is notified. These matched deaths are then included with mortality information posted to the State’s Michigan Coronavirus website. As a result of this week’s assessment, the data from April 16 includes 65 additional deaths that have been identified through this methodology.

Of the total deaths reported, the number of COVID deaths in Detroit on April 16 toped over 500 at 546. On April 16, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services also reported 435 total deaths in Wayne County (excluding Detroit), 420 in Oakland County and 354 in Macomb County. Washtenaw County had 25 deaths and Livingston, Monroe and St. Clair counties all had 10 deaths or less (Chart 11).

On a per capita basis, per 100,000 people, Detroit also continues to have the highest number of deaths per 100,000 people at 81; there were 71 deaths per 100,000 people in Detroit on April 15 (Chart 12). On April 16 Wayne County had 65 COVID deaths per 100,000 people, Oakland County had 62, and Macomb County had 53.

The number of new COVID deaths reported in Detroit on April 16 was nearly three times higher than those reported in Wayne, Oakland or Macomb counties. On April 16 there were 71 new COVID deaths in Detroit, 26 in Wayne County (excluding Detroit), 28 in Oakland County and 24 in Macomb County. Monroe County reported 0 new deaths.

Detroit and Wayne County continue to remain the epicenter of the virus. When looking at the entire state, only one county in the Lower Peninsula has not reported any coronavirus cases and that is Benzie County (near Traverse City). The spread has not stopped, and in areas such as Detroit and Wayne and Macomb counties it doesn’t appear to have slowed much. Oakland County though has reported a decrease in the number of new daily cases for the last few days, and the number of new daily deaths has remained stagnant for the same time period. In Macomb County, the number of new daily deaths has decreased but the number of new daily cases has continued to increase.

Michigan’s Urban Core Continues to Experience Highest COVID Numbers

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The total number of COVID cases in Michigan increased to 28,059 (Chart 1), which was equivalent to 281 cases per 100,000 people (Chart 2) on April 15. Of those total COVID cases, the City of Detroit had 7,236 cases, Oakland County had 5,576 cases, Wayne County (excluding Detroit) had 5,408 cases and Macomb County had 3,792 cases (Chart 3).  The number of confirmed cases in Washtenaw, Livingston, Monroe and St. Clair counties combined totaled 1,484, with Washtenaw County accounting for 798 of those cases,  according to the most recent data from the State.

The daily data highlighted in these posts is from Michigan.gov/coronavirus, where data is updated daily at 3 p.m. Historical data was supplied from covidtracking.com, which republishes COVID data from the State.

In Chart 4 we see that the City of Detroit has consistently had the highest number of COVID cases per 100,000 people, which was a rate of 1,061 on April 15. Oakland County had the second highest rate at 829 cases per 100,000 people and Wayne County (excluding Detroit) had 804 cases. Macomb County had 564 COVID cases per 100,000 people. When looking at Chart 4 we also see that there were per capita increases for every county between April 14 and April 15, but Macomb County had the highest increase in the number of COVID cases per 100,000 people at 32. In Wayne County the rate increased by 30, and it increased by 20 COVID cases per 100,000 people in Detroit between April 14 and April 15.

Chart 5 shows that Detroit, Macomb, Oakland, Wayne and Washtenaw counties experienced decreases in the number of new COVID cases between April 14 and April 15. On April 15, Oakland County reported the highest number of new COVID cases at 212. Wayne County had 203 new cases, Macomb County had 172 and Detroit had 132.

When looking at new COVID cases on a per capita basis, the data shows that Detroit and Macomb County now have the highest rates (Chart 6). According to the data, on April 15 both Detroit and Macomb County had 20 new COVID cases per 100,000 people; Wayne County had 19 and Oakland County had 17.  These four areas had nearly double the number of new COVID cases per capita as those more rural counties in the region (Washtenaw, St. Clair, Monroe and Livingston).

In addition to the raw data of confirmed cases, we also show the percent change in the number of cases reported day-to-day. On April 15 the percent change from April 14 was 3.92 percent, a decrease from the day’s prior change of 5 percent.

Originally, we were reporting the day-to-day percent change in the number of cases from March 16. However, there was a spike in the number of tests available early on that made this data set also spike (on March 18 the day-to-day percent change as 320%). We have now started showing percent change data from March 21 forward to allow readers a more precise visual. If you would like to see the earlier versions of this data set please review our earlier posts. 

It was reported by the State of Michigan that on April 14 the total of COVID-19 deaths reached 1,921. This was a percent change of 8.6 percent from April 15, which was a decrease from the 10.4 percent increase of the day prior (Chart 9). The 1,921 total deaths reported for April 15 was 153 deaths higher than what was reported on April 14 (Chart 10). The new deaths reported on April 15 was a decrease from the 166 new deaths reported on April 14.

Of the total deaths reported, Detroit continues to make up the majority of them. On April 15, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services reported 475 total deaths in Detroit-the highest total number of deaths in one city or county in the state. However, also on April 15 Wayne County, excluding Detroit, broke 400-the county now has 409 COVID deaths. Additionally, there were 392 deaths in Oakland County and 332 deaths in Macomb County (Chart 11).

On a per capita basis, per 100,000 people, Detroit also continues to have the highest number of deaths per 100,000 people at 71 (Chart 12). On April 15 Wayne County had 61 COVID deaths per 100,000 people, Oakland County had 58 and Macomb County had 49.

At 48 Detroit had the highest number of new COVID deaths on April 15, and Macomb County had the second highest at 37. Wayne County continued to experience a decrease; it reported 16 new COVID deaths on April 15.

COVID deaths in Michigan continue to rise and the data is showing that some areas, such as Macomb County, are now reporting higher daily new cases and deaths. This shows that the virus continues to spread from the urban core-Detroit-and outward. The data also reflects that the more rural counties in the region are experiencing much lower case and death numbers. However, the risk of spread is still very real which is why everyone must remain home.

COVID Death Still Steadily Climbing in Michigan

by Drawing Detroit | Leave a comment

The total number of COVID cases in Michigan increased to 27,001 (Chart 1), which was equivalent to 270 cases per 100,000 people (Chart 2) on April 14. Of those total COVID cases, the City of Detroit had 7,004 cases, Oakland County had 5,364 cases, Wayne County (excluding Detroit) had 5,002 cases and Macomb County had 3,620 cases (Chart 3).  The number of confirmed cases in Washtenaw, Livingston, Monroe and St. Clair counties combined totaled 1,471, with Washtenaw County accounting for 772 of those cases,  according to the most recent data from the State.

The daily data highlighted in these posts is from Michigan.gov/coronavirus. Historical data was supplied from covidtracking.com, which republishes COVID data from the State.

In Chart 4 we see that the City of Detroit has consistently had the highest number of COVID cases per 100,000 people, which was a rate of 1,004 on April 14. Oakland County had the second highest rate at 797 cases per 100,000 people and Wayne County (excluding Detroit) had 774 cases. Macomb County had 538 COVID cases per 100,000 people.

Chart 5 shows that Detroit experienced a decrease in the number of new daily confirmed cases from April 13 to April 14 while Wayne, Oakland and Macomb experienced increases. Wayne County had the highest number of new cases on April 14 at 338, followed by Oakland County with 291 new cases. Detroit reported  223 new cases on April 14, a decrease from the 279 new COVID cases reported on April 13. Macomb County reported 202 new cases on April 14.

When looking at new COVID cases on a per capita basis, the data shows that Detroit continues to have the highest rates (Chart 6). According to the data, on April 14 Detroit had 33 new COVID cases per 100,000 people and Wayne County had 31. Oakland and Macomb counties each had 23 new COVID cases per 100,000 people on April 14.

In addition to the raw data of confirmed cases, we also show the percent change in the number of cases reported day-to-day. For Michigan, the largest percent change thus far reported was on March 19 at 320 percent-this increase was also likely related to an increase in  the number of available tests at that time. On April 14 the percent change from April 13 was 5.33 percent, an increase from the day’s prior change of 4 percent. Recall that the state has reported that new tests are being implemented, so this increase could be a result of this. Test more; find more cases.

It was reported by the State of Michigan that on April 14 the total of COVID-19 deaths reached 1,768. This was a percent change of 10.4 percent from April 13, which was an increase from the 7.7 percent increase of the day prior (Chart 9). The 1,768 total deaths reported for April 14 was 166 deaths higher than what was reported on April 13 (Chart 10). The new deaths reported on April 14 was the second day of increases; both April 13 and April 14 had more than 100 new COVID deaths each day.

Of the total deaths reported, Detroit continues to make up the majority of them. On April 14, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services reported 427 total deaths in Detroit-the highest total number of deaths in one city or county in the state. Wayne County, excluding Detroit, continued to have a higher number of total deaths than Oakland County. On April 14 there were 393 COVID deaths in Wayne County and 364 deaths in Oakland County (Chart 11). The data shows that number of COVID deaths may be slowing in Oakland County, at least compared to the rate of deaths in Wayne County.

On a per capita basis, per 100,000 people, Detroit also continues to have the highest number of deaths per 100,000 people at 63 (Chart 12). The rate of  COVID deaths in Macomb County has increased by 12 in just the last two days. On April 12 there 32 COVID deaths per 100,000 people in Macomb County and on April 14 that had increased to 44.

Macomb County also had the highest of new daily COVID deaths for April 14 at 53; just two days prior (April 12) 8 deaths were reported for Macomb County. In Detroit there were 31 new COVID deaths, a continued increase since April 12. In Wayne County a decrease in the number of new deaths continued with 28 being reported for April 14. Oakland County had 17 deaths on April 14.

Even though Detroit still has the highest total number of deaths, the increases in deaths in places such as Macomb County highlights that the virus is spreading out of the urban core and into the suburbs.

Despite some saying that Michigan is turning the corner, there is little evidence to this effect. Deaths, our strongest indicator, are still climbing steadily. Bridge Magazine cited Michigan as having the highest number of coronavirus deaths per capita and Deadline Detroit said Michigan has conducted the fewest number of tests per capita. Due to this gap in testing we may see the number of deaths per confirmed case be much greater than other states,  and we anticipate that the number of confirmed cases may rise due to testing but the true infection rate may not be rising or rising as quickly.  Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has recently authorized additional testing criteria and sites and many more will likely be getting tested. 

According to Whitmer, all projections regarding the apex of the curve and when it will flatten are based on social distancing and as many people remaining home as possible. Now is not a time to loosen up on any restrictions you have been following.