(WWJ) Governor Gretchen Whitmer is sounding the alarm on the increase of COVID-19 statewide after Saturday’s case count surpassed a daily record for Michigan.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) received word from reporting labs of 3,338 positive test results on Saturday. In a statement, (MDHHS) said more than 95% of those specimens were collected in the past five days.
35 deaths, 8 since Friday and 27 identified through a Vital Records Review, were also reported.
“We have to double down on what it takes (to stop the spread of the virus), so we can keep our economy engaged, get our kids in school,” Whitmer said in an interview on WXYZ. “But with these numbers rising, if the trajectory holds, we’re going to have to mandate the possibility of taking steps backwards. None of us wants to do that.”
In a tweet, Whitmer urged Michiganders to pull together to quell the virus’ spread.
“It is vital that we wear masks, avoid large gatherings, and practice physical distancing. Your fellow Michiganders and our frontline health care workers are counting on each one of us to do the right thing,” she wrote.
With more than 26,000 thousand likes; it drew a wide variety of reactions. “Stephanie” tweeted in response to the Governor: “Still things need to remain open. Our economy is suffering & many businesses likely won’t recover. People that want to gather are going to regardless. Please don’t make everyone’s livelihood suffer. Don’t make the people following the rules and doing the right thing suffer.”
A woman with the Twitter handle, “Sushi”, took the opposite stance: “I went to the gas station the other day and I was the only one wearing a mask. I wish that restrictions were still in place. I don’t feel safe going out to grab daily necessities anymore.”
As of Friday, nearly 1,050 patients are being treated in hospitals for a confirmed case of COVID-19. That count is more than twice as many as the 640 hospitalized during the first week of October. To see a complete breakdown of hospitalizations by region, click here.
More than 120 Michiganders are on ventilators with the virus.
Nearly 3% of the 35,905 residents currently fighting the coronavirus are in the hospital. This count excludes the 114,939 residents who are considered recovered from the virus and the 7,182 who died.
The MDHHS deems a person recovered after they have survived 30 days since their first positive COVID-19 test.
However, this surge has yet to resemble the dark early weeks of the pandemic.
Nearly 4,000 Michiganders were hospitalized with COVID-19 during the first weeks of April.
Testing has ramped up; in the first week of April, Michigan averaged 4,000-5,000 tests per day with about a 35% positivity rate. Only the sickest, elderly, or others who were at highest risk for severe complications could easily access a test.
Now, hundreds of clinics and hospitals across the state offer tests to asymptomatic individuals or people with mild symptoms, allowing the least severe cases to be factored into the data. More than 50,000 tests were conducted statewide on Friday, with a positivity rate of just over 5%. To find a testing site near you, click here.
The state fatality rate has been slashed in half too—now 4.5%, in contrast to about 10% at the height of the outbreak.
The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports as many as 40% of individuals may be asymptomatic, but they can still spread it to people at serious risk of complications including those who are obese; elderly; or have pre-existing conditions including cancer, kidney disease, lung disease, sickle cell, or immunocompromised. More than 40% of Americans are considered high risk, according to the CDC. To learn more about who is most vulnerable to complications, click here.
The FDA gave full approval to Remdesivir last week, a treatment that was only available on an emergency basis since the spring. CBS News reports a large study showed the intravenous drug cut down recovery time by five days on average—from 15 to 10 days. However, its use remains controversial as no studies have demonstrated it improves overall survival.
Experts remain optimistic that a vaccine is on the near horizon. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar says four candidates, including Pfizer and Moderna, are in final Phase 3 clinical trials. Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca trials resumed last week, after researchers paused them for a safety investigation when a few volunteers became ill.
Despite hopeful signs, Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun urged Michiganders not to get complacent.
“The data shows we are continuing to see alarming increases in the incidence of COVID-19 infections in Michigan, “ Khaldun said. “It is now more important than ever that people take this seriously…. if rates continue like this, we risk overwhelming our hospitals and having many more Michiganders die.”