(WWJ) Health officials in Michigan are reporting a concerning uptick in daily recorded cases of the coronavirus in the state, as hospitalizations among younger adults are also spiking sharply.
On Wednesday, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said there were 4,454 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 recorded statewide — the highest single-day total for new cases since Dec. 15, 2020.
This is the second big daily count in a row, after MDHHS said 3,579 new cases were confirmed on Tuesday.
These latest numbers come as the number of COVID-19 patients in hospitals in Michigan has jumped to 1,729; with tracking by MDHHS showing hospitalizations have doubled since the start of March.
Since March 2020, Michigan has recorded 637,645 total COVID-19 cases and 15,935 deaths. (Check the latest numbers, updated daily at michigan.gov/coronavirus/).
Meanwhile, concern is growing about younger adults who have not yet been vaccinated.
The Michigan Health and Hospital Association (MHA) says inpatient data indicates that the large growth in hospitalizations in Michigan in March is occurring among younger age groups that have the lowest vaccination rates among the state population.
From March 1 to March 23, hospitalizations increased by 633% for adults ages 30-39 and by 800% for adults ages 40-49. Hospitalization growth rates decline as the vaccination rates per age group increases, with hospitalizations increasing by just 37% for adults 80 or older, of which 44% of the population are fully vaccinated in the state.
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MHA says the correlation between high vaccination rates and lower hospitalization growth rates shows the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine and how it protects from the risk of severe disease or hospitalization.
The data also shows that, although older adults still have a higher risk of hospitalizations, the percentage of hospitalized patients who are younger than 40 years old has doubled, showing that adults of any age are vulnerable to complications from the disease.
“Michigan is making progress at ultimately defeating the COVID-19 pandemic through increasing vaccination rates, but the war is not yet over,” said MHA Chief Medical Officer Gary Roth, DO.
While Michigan has stepped up its vaccination campaign in recent weeks, to date over 16% of adults in Michigan have been fully vaccinated against the novel coronavirus.
“Now is not the time to let our guard down and risk contracting COVID-19 with more contagious variants emerging and vaccines becoming widely available. My prescription to all Michiganders is to wear your mask, wash your hands, avoid crowds and when it is your turn, get your vaccine. You must continue to take preventive measures even after you’re vaccinated because it takes at least two weeks for a vaccine’s full protection to kick in following the last dose, and it will take time to vaccinate everyone.”
At this time, anyone age 50 and up is eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine in Michigan, as well as anyone age 16 and up with a medical condition (including obesity) or disability, along with their caregiver family members or guardians. On April 5, eligibility will once again expand to include anyone age 16 and up.
Want to get your shot?
Sign-up for the mass vaccination clinic at Ford Field in Detroit is available through these three options:
• Online at meijer.com/register/CL2021
• Text EndCOVID to 75049
• Call the MDHHS COVID-19 Hotline at 888-535-6136 (press 1)
For other options check with your local health department, or visit Michigan.gov/COVIDVaccine for the latest information.