(WWJ) Michigan has now surpassed 500,000 confirmed coronavirus cases since the pandemic began.
There were just under 5,000 new cases reported for Sunday and Monday, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, averaging to nearly 2,500 cases each day.
MDHHS said there have been another 80 people COVID-19 deaths in the state, pushing the statewide death toll to more than 12,600 since last March.
In a statement acknowledging the day's grim new milestone, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said with vaccinations just getting underway in the state, Michiganders must continue to mask up and take other precautions to avoid contracting and spreading the coronavirus.
Whitmer stressed that the pandemic did not end with the new year.
“Since the first cases of COVID-19 were recorded in Michigan, the vast majority of Michiganders have done their part to protect themselves, their families, and our frontline workers and small business owners. Now, there is hope on the horizon," Whitmer said.
"My administration, led by Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, has been working with local health officials and health care providers to begin distributing the safe and effective vaccine, starting with our most vulnerable populations like health care workers and skilled nursing home residents and staff," she continued. "We must remember that it will take some time for the vaccine to be widely available to all Michiganders, and until then, we must continue to do our part to keep ourselves and our fellow Michiganders safe. That means masking up, practicing safe social distancing, and avoiding indoor gatherings where the virus can easily spread from person to person."
While lauding virus relief funding recently passed on state level, Whitmer stressed the need for more federal help.
She said: “I was proud to work with the Legislature to pass and sign a bipartisan $106 Million Relief Plan for Michigan workers, small businesses, and more. I proposed this stimulus plan to the legislature in November because I know how much our families, frontline workers, and small businesses need relief as we head into the winter. This bipartisan relief bill will provide families and businesses the support they need to stay afloat as we continue working to distribute the safe and effective vaccine and eradicate COVID-19 once and for all."
“We still need our leaders in Washington to pass a relief bill that includes federal funding for states to fund crucial services like police and fire, emergency responders, Medicaid, higher education, and more. These services could face cuts without help from the federal government. I will continue holding our leaders in Washington accountable."
The good news: While Michigan's coronavirus caseload remains concerning, the numbers are improving.
A couple of weeks ago, the state was recording between 6,000 and 7,000 cases a day. But that number has dropped by 34% over the last two weeks; now averaging about 2,900.
"Still too high, but the number is going down, not going up," WWJ Lansing Bureau Chief Tim Skubick reported. "That's the bad news for 30 other states. They are on the list that shows they have high cases and they are going up."
A total of 363,611 people who ere infected with the coronavirus in Michigan are now considered officially recovered.
Get more details on the latest COVID-19 numbers in Michigan HERE, and find the latest information on vaccinations in Michigan at Michigan.gov/COVIDVaccine. Want to get tested? CLICK HERE.