(This story was updated at 3:00 p.m.)
SUNDAY, April 5 — Michigan charted another 1,493 new cases of coronavirus and another 77 COVID-19 deaths earlier this afternoon as the virus continues its spread across the country.
And at least five are dead from COVID-19 in Greater Lansing, including another death reported in Ingham County today. Here are today’s latest statistics, with percent changes from yesterday:
Michigan
Cases — 15,718 (+10.5%)
Deaths — 617 (+14.3%)
Ingham County
Cases — 172 (+2.4%)
Deaths — 2
Eaton County
Cases — 55 (+3.8%)
Deaths — 2
Clinton County
Cases — 55 (+1.9%)
Deaths — 1
According to state reports, about 87% of those dead (and about 80% of cases) are from Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties, including the city of Detroit. Data also shows African Americans accounted for 33% of cases and 40% of deaths. Caucasians accounted for 23% of cases and 28% of deaths; those of unknown race charted 37% of cases and 28% of deaths.
Michigan is the state with the third most confirmed cases in the country, still well behind New York and New Jersey. Michigan also reports the third-highest number of deaths among states.
This afternoon, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention listed 304,826 cases of COVID-19 and 7,616 deaths in the U.S. The New York Times database, which is updated more frequently, listed more: At least 328,861 confirmed cases and 9,368 deaths nationwide.
President Donald Trump returned yesterday to the idea of opening up the country’s economy as soon as possible, even as he said the country was headed into what could become its “toughest” weeks as coronavirus cases swell nationwide, the Detroit News reports.
“There will be a lot of death, unfortunately,” Trump said at his daily press briefing.
The White House also projected Wayne and Oakland counties to hit their peak caseloads next weekend — alongside other hotspots like New York and Louisiana, the Detroit News Reports.
In Greater Lansing…
Ingham County Health Officer Linda Vail urged local residents last week to begin wearing face masks in public as the virus spreads, mirroring similar advice from the federal government. While it won’t necessarily protect wearers from contracting the virus, it could mitigate spread.
While many businesses remained closed, masks seemed much more common among shoppers yesterday afternoon in Greater Lansing grocers like Meijer and Fresh Thyme Farmers Market.
Some stores — like Costco, Target and Walmart — are introducing new limits on the number of people that can enter a store at any given time to promote social distancing, MLive reports.
Across Michigan…
The state’s largest convention center — TCF Center in Detroit — is en route to become a 1,000-bed field hospital ahead of schedule with plans to open on April 8, the Free Press reports.
A prisoner who died Wednesday had tested positive for COVID-19, the first death of a state prisoner in Michigan related to the coronavirus, reports the Detroit Free Press. As of yesterday, 206 prisoners and one parolee have tested positive since the first confirmed case on March 22.
U.S. Sens. Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing, and Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Twp. announced legislation yesterday that would make dependents, including older children and adult dependents, count toward a family’s federal COVID-19 relief payments, MLive reports.
And Ann Arbor’s annual Hash Bash went forward as scheduled yesterday, just in an entirely virtual format on Facebook. Still, police stood guard at University of Michigan to make sure some cannabis enthusiasts wouldn’t still gather to celebrate the occasion, MLive reports.
Whitmer is still asking doctors, nurses and other medical staff to go to the “front lines” of the coronavirus pandemic to staff the TCF Center, among other roles. Details can be found at michigan.gov/fightcovid19. The state is also seeking donations for more medical equipment.
She teamed up yesterday with the Detroit Lions, Pistons, Red Wings and Tigers to release a call-to-action video, encouraging nurses and doctors to bring their skills to Michigan as a way to volunteer and help bolster the number of frontline professionals to fight the coronavirus.
Information around this outbreak is changing rapidly. The latest information is available at michigan.gov/coronavirus and cdc.gov/coronavirus.
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