Community risk levels high as Michigan reports 19,414 new COVID-19 cases in the last week

Coronavirus risk levels have risen in Michigan as the state reported 19,414 new cases, according to a weekly report from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services released Tuesday.

The department reports a total of 2,751,201 Michiganders have tested positive for COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, an additional 19,414 cases compared to the previous week’s increase of 23,165 cases. In total, 37,909 people have died from the virus with 135 deaths reported on Tuesday compared to 103 the week prior. 

The virus has been detected in all of Michigan’s 83 counties. The state’s COVID-19 fatality rate is at 1.5% as of Tuesday.

As of Tuesday, the state reported a total of 1,132 COVID-19 hospitalizations across Michigan hospitals, an increase of 57 from the previous week. One-hundred-thirty were in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), which is up from 113 last week.

The first two cases of COVID-19 were reported in the state on March 10, 2020. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency that day.

The community risk level for Michigan has been raised to “high.” There are 18 counties at “high” risk level: Calhoun, Dickinson, Genesee, Gogebic, Iron, Kalamazoo, Lake, Livingston, Mackinac, Macomb, Manistee, Menominee, Monroe, Oakland, Ontonagon, Washtenaw, Wayne and St. Joseph counties.

There are 44 counties across the state at “medium” risk level. There are 21 counties at “low” risk level: Alcona, Alger, Allegan, Alpena, Berrien, Cass, Delta, Gladwin, Hillsdale, Houghton, Isabella, Luce, Mason, Midland, Montmorency, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, Ottawa, Presque Isle and Sanilac counties.

Johns Hopkins University reports that there are about 597 million confirmed cases worldwide and 6.4 million deaths. The United States makes up a significant portion of those, as 93.6 million confirmed cases and 1,040,970 deaths have been recorded nationally.

Michigan currently has an overall vaccination rate (one or more doses) of 67.9%, putting it in the lower half of state vaccination rates. About 61% of the state’s population has been fully vaccinated.

About 75% of the entire United States population has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.