Michigan coronavirus data for Friday, April 16: Oceana, Mason counties move into top 10 for new cases

Michigan Medicine offers drive-through testing for COVID-19

A medical worker takes a sample from a patient at a drive-through testing site for COVID-19 operated by Michigan Medicine at West Ann Arbor Health Center, 380 Parkland Plaza in Scio Township on Tuesday, March 17, 2020. (Jacob Hamilton | MLive file photo)Jacob Hamilton/MLive.com

Sixty-eight of Michigan’s 83 counties have reported a week-over-week increases in daily new COVID-19 cases per capita.

St. Clair, Sanilac, Tuscola, Huron and Macomb counties remain the state’s leaders in seven-day average per 1 million residents, each reporting about 900 or more cases per capita. Of that bunch, only Tuscola reported more new cases this week than the week prior.

Joining them in the top 10 this week were Oceana, Mason and Montcalm counties after the trio reported increases of 36%, 21% and 22% respectively. All three now sit above 800 new cases per 1 million residents for the last week.

New coronavirus cases are surging across Michigan in general, as it continues to lead all other states in new cases per day per 100,000 residents. Health care leaders have called it a “perfect storm,” combining more contagious strains of the virus with relaxed restrictions, increased mobility, and fatigue resulting in lowered defenses against transmission.

Below is a look at state and county numbers for new cases and positivity rates, as well as statewide numbers on hospitalizations, deaths and vaccinations.

New cases: The state is averaging 6,789 new cases a day.

The seven-day average saw a slight dip in recent days, but still sits less than 500 cases per day shy of the record high set Nov. 21.

A month ago, Michigan was reporting 1,951 cases per day, which was already double the daily rate from the month prior.

Below is an online database that allows readers to see the number of new coronavirus cases in the past seven days compared to the previous week, as well as the per capita number that adjusts for population. The arrows indicate whether the total number of new cases reported in the last seven days has gone up or down compared to the previous seven days.

The map below is shaded based on the state’s six risk-assessment levels. The arrows indicate whether the total number of new cases reported in the last seven days has gone up or down compared to April 2-8.

Readers can put their cursor over a county to see the underlying data. (Hint: You can drag the map with your cursor to see the entire U.P.)

Positivity rate: The seven-day average is now 15.3%.

Michigan’s daily positive test rate dropped 1.2% over the last week, but it remains three-times higher than the threshold recommended by health officials for closing schools and communities across the globe.

Part of the improvement is explained by an uptick in diagnostic testing. Daily testing climbed from 36,422 per day a week ago to 44,120.

State health officials noted last week that the high positive test rates not only indicate high case rates, but that not enough residents are getting tested.

The chart below allows you to look up any county by name to see the seven-day average positivity rate for April 8-14. The chart compares the average from the past seven days to the average for the previous week.

The interactive map below shows the seven-day average testing rate by county. You can put your cursor over a county to see the underlying data.

Hospitalizations: 4,159 inpatients on Tuesday

Michigan had 4,109 adult patients and 50 pediatric patients hospitalized with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 on Thursday, April 15. That includes 848 patients in the ICU.

By comparison, there were 2,687 patients hospitalized on Thursday, April 1, with 511 in the ICU.

Health systems are sounding the alarms again as hospital capacities are getting tight again and care givers are having to take on extra shifts to care for the overload of patients. Some hospitals are delaying non-urgent procedures to free up staff and hospital beds.

Deaths: The state is averaging 47 deaths a day.

That compares to an average of 37 deaths a day a week ago, and 22 deaths per day two weeks ago. The current death rate is the highest since Jan. 29.

Hospitalizations are typically younger than prior surges, which has led to fewer deaths. However, health officials have always said deaths are a lagging factor that follow a surge in cases by a few weeks. Michigan is starting to see that rise now, with daily deaths tripling since mid-March.

Vaccinations: 41.9% of adults have received at least one dose

Through Wednesday, April 14, there were 3,531,666 Michiganders with at least one dose of vaccine, and more than 2.3 million who had completed their vaccine regimen.

About 28.8% of residents 16 years and older have completed their vaccination.

Below is a breakdown by age group of adults who have gotten at least one dose of vaccine and those who are fully immunized.

  • 75 and older: 70.6% initiated; 61.9% completed.
  • 65 to 74: 71.6% initiated; 62% completed.
  • 50 to 64: 51% initiated; 31.8% completed.
  • 40 to 49: 36% initiated; 19.1% completed.
  • 30 to 39: 32.3% initiated; 16.4% completed.
  • 20 to 29: 22.7% initiated; 10.6% completed.
  • 16 to 19: 15.7% initiated; 3.3% completed.

State’s overall risk assessment: All regions at highest level

All eight of Michigan’s MI Start regions are back to Level E in the state’s overall risk assessment for the second consecutive week.

In assigning the risk scores, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services looks at factors such as new cases and deaths per capita, test positivity rates, number of tests administered and emergency department visits for COVID-19 symptoms. The scale used by MDHHS has six levels -- “low” plus Levels A-E.

Read more on MLive:

As Michigan restores restaurant jobs, industry is back to 84% of pre-pandemic levels

Whitmer urges antibody therapy as COVID-19 surge continues in Michigan

Whitmer says Michigan’s COVID-19 surge is due to variants and non-compliance, ‘not a policy problem’

J&J vaccine to remain in limbo while officials seek evidence of health risk

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