Coronavirus in Michigan: Here’s what to know Aug. 1, 2020

734 new COVID-19 cases reported Friday

Michigan COVID-19 data through July 31, 2020. (WDIV)

The number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in Michigan has risen to 81,621 as of Friday, including 6,199 deaths, state officials report.

Friday’s update includes 734 new cases and 8 additional deaths.

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New cases have increased moderately in recent weeks, while deaths remain flat in Michigan. Testing has remained steady, with an average of more than 25,000 per day, with the positive rate between 3 and 4 percent. Hospitalizations have increased slightly, but remain considerably lower than in April.

Michigan has reported 57,502 COVID-19 recoveries. The state also reports “active cases,” which were listed at 18,000 as of Friday. Michigan’s 7-day average moving average for daily cases was 726 on Friday, the highest since early May.

Michigan governor vetoes nursing home bill calling it a ‘political game’

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed several bipartisan budget bills into law Friday, while she vetoed nursing home legislation.

The bipartisan budget bills are aimed at protecting funding for Michigan schools and public safety. 

Whitmer vetoed Senate Bill 956, which she believes would have jeopardized the health of Michigan’s nursing home residents and other COVID-19-positive patients. 

Michigan COVID-19 risk map update: Where things stand

The end of July, there are no Michigan regions in “high risk” for COVID-19 spread, according to the state’s interactive coronavirus risk map.

MI Start Map as of July 31, 2020. (MDHHS)

MI Safe Start Map is a dashboard designed to monitor the status of COVID-19 indicators across the state of Michigan. The dashboard tracks and displays the current risk level of Michigan regions and counties due to COVID-19.

The dashboard allows you to click on a specific region, and from there narrow the region down by county. Test results, new cases and deaths are available for each of these options, as well as public health capacity information. All of that information is color coded to align with a specific phase of the reopening plan -- from dark red (uncontrolled growth) to dark blue (post-pandemic).

Michigan limits indoor gatherings, sets limited open for casinos

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued amended orders on Wednesday to limit indoor gatherings, while setting a reopening date for Detroit’s casinos, as COVID-19 cases continue to rise in the state.

The amended order requires statewide indoor gatherings to be limited to 10 people. It also orders that bars in every region, including those in regions 6 and 8, must close for indoor service if they earn more than 70% of their gross receipts from sales of alcoholic beverages.

Earlier this month, Whitmer ordered establishments with on-premises retailer liquor licenses that earn more than 70 percent of their gross receipts from alcohol sales to shut down their indoor bar services until further notice.

Understanding the regions:

  • Region 1 includes the following counties: Monroe, Washtenaw, Livingston, Genesee, Lapeer, Saint Clair, Oakland, Macomb, and Wayne.
  • Region 2 includes the following counties: Mason, Lake, Osceola, Clare, Oceana, Newaygo, Mecosta, Isabella, Muskegon, Montcalm, Ottawa, Kent, and Ionia.
  • Region 3 includes the following counties: Allegan, Barry, Van Buren, Kalamazoo, Calhoun, Berrien, Cass, Saint Joseph, and Branch.
  • Region 4 includes the following counties: Oscoda, Alcona, Ogemaw, Iosco, Gladwin, Arenac, Midland, Bay, Saginaw, Tuscola, Sanilac, and Huron.
  • Region 5 includes the following counties: Gratiot, Clinton, Shiawassee, Eaton, and Ingham.
  • Region 6 includes the following counties: Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, Roscommon, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Crawford, Leelanau, Antrim, Otsego, Montmorency, Alpena, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Presque Isle, and Emmet.
  • Region 7 includes the following counties: Hillsdale, Lenawee, and Jackson.
  • Region 8 includes the following counties: Gogebic, Ontonagon, Houghton, Keweenaw, Iron, Baraga, Dickinson, Marquette, Menominee, Delta, Alger, Schoolcraft, Luce, Mackinac, and Chippewa.

Read more: Here’s how all 83 Michigan counties are divided into regions in Gov. Whitmer’s reopening plan


More coronavirus news:


5 COVID-19 cases linked to indoor wedding reception in Southgate

The Wayne County Public Health Division announced Wednesday it has confirmed a total of five cases of COVID-19 linked to a wedding reception held on Saturday, July 18, at Crystal Gardens Banquet Hall in Southgate.

More people may have been at risk of contracting and exposing others to COVID-19 as more than 100 people were in attendance for the indoor reception, according to Wayne County health officials.

  • Attendees of the reception at the Crystal Gardens are encouraged to call the Wayne County Health Division at 734-727-7078 to report their contacts, get tested by a healthcare provider as soon as possible, and self-quarantine at home as directed.

Southfield Public School District to start school year with remote learning only

The Southfield Public School District plans to start the 2020 fall semester with remote learning “due to a large number of COVID-19 cases in our region,” the district announced. The school district describes its remote learning plan as follows:

“Students will begin the 2020-2021 academic year engaged in all-remote learning, similar to the final few months of the previous school year. Students will receive rigorous online instruction and support, and the same academic excellence that our in-person curriculum and teaching provides. Accountability measures for attendance, grades, and assessments apply.”

Health officials identify Greektown as COVID-19 ‘hot spot’ in Detroit

One of the most powerful weapons against coronavirus (COVID-19) is knowing where it’s being spread.

The number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Michigan rose to 79,176 as of Tuesday, including 6,170 deaths, state officials reported. Chief public health officer Denise Fair said the latest numbers of who is testing positive should get everyone’s attention. The majority of new cases are being found in people between the ages of 20 and 29.

Tracking Michigan COVID-19 hospitalization data trends

The number of COVID-19 hospital inpatients in Michigan has been steadily increasing since the beginning of July. However, the volume is far lower than it was in April when Michigan reported nearly 4,000 COVID-19 inpatients.

On July 21, Michigan reported 500 inpatients at hospitals, the highest number since June 4 (50). That number receded to 493 inpatients on July 22 and 481 on Friday, July 24.

Here’s a look at the state’s hospitalization trends:

3 Detroit summer school students test positive for COVID-19

So far, 359 kids were tested and three have tested positive. Parents of the students are being notified to self-quarantine for 14 days and to monitor for symptoms.

The students who tested positive will continue classes online. The school is working to clean and disinfect the school and the school bus.

Read more: Detroit public schools, protesters head back to court over COVID-19 testing decision

Michigan officials say $600 COVID-19 unemployment bonus ends this weekend

Michigan unemployment officials said the $600 coronavirus (COVID-19) unemployment bonus will end this weekend.

The Unemployment Insurance Agency announced Friday that the additional $600 weekly unemployment bonus offered to workers during the COVID-19 pandemic will expire Saturday, barring congressional action.

FEMA provides $2.6 million in federal aid for Washtenaw County COVID-19 response

More than $2.6 million in federal disaster aid has been made available to support the continuing of COVID-19 operations in Washtenaw County.

The grant funding comes from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Public Assistance program. The program provides funding to local governments and eligible private nonprofit organizations for costs sustained for emergency actions taken to protect lives or property. Read here.

Ann Arbor Public Schools anticipates fully virtual start to school year

Ann Arbor Public School students can anticipate returning to school virtually at the end of August.

In a Wednesday night study session meeting, officials from Ann Arbor Public Schools discussed plans for a remote-learning start to the next academic year.

Ann Arbor Public School superintendent Jeanice Swift acknowledged how officials are “hardwired” for safety and that they must put student safety first. Read here.

Judge: Detroit’s in-person summer school classes can continue with virus testing

A judge has ruled the in-person summer school classes can continue in the Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD). Local 4 and ClickOnDetroit are working on getting reaction on the ruling from the district.

Summer school in the DPSCD began last week. A lawsuit was filed by parents, teachers, students and activist group By Any Means Necessary (BAMN) against the district. The suit was seeking to sop summer school and first went before the judge on Friday with the decision expected this week.

While the judge has decided that the classes can continue, all of the students attending those classes need to have COVID-19 tests in the next two days or the in-person learning could be shut down.

Read more here.

Tracking moving 7-day average of new COVID-19 cases in Michigan

The chart below tracks the moving 7-day average of new cases dating back to March 17, one week after the first confirmed cases in Michigan.


New Michigan COVID-19 cases per day since July 15:

  • July 15 -- 891 new cases
  • July 16 -- 645 new cases
  • July 17 -- 660 new cases
  • July 18 -- 678 new cases
  • July 19 -- 483 new cases
  • July 20 -- 489 new cases
  • July 21 -- 573 new cases
  • July 22 -- 523 new cases
  • July 23 -- 699 new cases
  • July 24 -- 594 new cases
  • July 25 -- 437 new cases
  • July 26 -- 1,041* (cases higher due to technical glitch)
  • July 27 -- 488 new cases
  • July 28 -- 669 new cases
  • July 29 -- 996* (higher due to a backlog of test results)
  • July 30 -- 715 new cases

Daily COVID-19 deaths reported in Michigan since July 15:

  • July 15 -- 4 new deaths
  • July 16 -- 16 new deaths
  • July 17 -- 7 new deaths
  • July 18 -- 9 new deaths
  • July 19 -- 2 new deaths
  • July 20 -- 7 new deaths
  • July 21 -- 9 new deaths
  • July 22 -- 6 new deaths
  • July 23 -- 7 new deaths
  • July 24 -- 3 new deaths
  • July 25 -- 14 new deaths
  • July 26 -- 0 new deaths
  • July 27 -- 5 new deaths
  • July 28 -- 16 new deaths
  • July 29 -- 2 new deaths
  • July 30 -- 19 new deaths (14 of which are from vital records)

Here’s a look at the overall COVID-19 data in Michigan:

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