Nessel tests negative for COVID-19, but is isolating amid symptoms

Attorney General Dana Nessel announced Thursday that she is isolating “out of an abundance of caution” after feeling ill. She said she has so far tested negative for COVID-19. 

In a tweet, she said she had originally hoped to “spend the day reflecting” on the Jan. 6 insurrection of the U.S. Capitol, and the “on-going threats to our democracy.” 

In response to a request for comment, Nessel’s office referred the Advance to her tweet.

While I had hoped to spend the day reflecting on 1/6/21 and the on-going threats to our democracy, unfortunately I have been sidelined by illness. So far I’ve tested negative for Covid, but out of an abundance of caution I am isolating from my family in my home https://t.co/r4H5amfZGp

— Dana Nessel (@dananessel) January 6, 2022

On Tuesday, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said she is also isolating after her husband, Marc Mallory, began experiencing symptoms and tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday. Both Whitmer’s first rapid test and a subsequent PCR test came back negative. 

Currently, the number of COVID-19 cases are rising in Michigan due to a combination of the omicron variant spreading and large holiday gatherings. As of Monday, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) reported there were 289 omicron cases total across Allegan, Calhoun, Clinton, Genesee, Kalamazoo, Kent, Lapeer, Livingston, Macomb, Marquette, Monroe, Oakland, Ottawa, Saginaw, St. Clair, Washtenaw and Wayne counties. The Michigan Department of Corrections also reported 11 omicron cases.

DHHS reported Wednesday a total of 1,595,919 COVID-19 cases and 27,563 COVID-19 deaths since the start of the pandemic — an additional 27,346 cases since Monday. The state reported an average of 13,673 cases each day since Monday.