Coronavirus in Michigan: Day 36

Ingham County tracks 2% fatality rate from COVID-19

Ingham and Clinton counties each track a sixth coronavirus death

Posted

(This story was updated at 3:35 p.m.)

THURSDAY, April 16 — With Ingham and Clinton counties each tracking another COVID-19 death, the coronavirus death toll in Greater Lansing climbed to at least 17 earlier this afternoon.

The state of Michigan tracked today another 1,200 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 172 more virus-related deaths. At least 464 of those confirmed cases have now been detected across Ingham, Eaton and Clinton counties. And each local county is tracking a fatality rate of less than 6%, state officials said. 

Four residents at a Clinton County nursing home were reported dead from COVID-19 yesterday, among several others in Greater Lansing, as the coronavirus continues to spread in Michigan.  

The Mid-Michigan District Health Department reported yesterday that despite “extensive measures,” four residents at Gunnisonville Meadows Senior Assisted Living in Dewitt have died from the illness, with 17 residents and two staff members also testing positive for COVID-19.  

Sarah Doak, a director at the district health department, said the virus spreads quickly within a medically vulnerable population — like nursing homes — and causes severe illness and death. 

“This is why it’s so important for everyone to stay home,” Doak said in a recent press release.  

Employees who tested positive are self-isolating at home. Residents who tested positive are isolating in their rooms. All group activities have been canceled as ongoing screening continues.  

Here are the latest case and death statistics across Greater Lansing, Michigan and the country:              

Ingham County              

Cases — 278

Deaths — 6

Fatality Rate — 2%

Recoveries — 69         

Most Ingham County cases, 41-45 of them, were tracked in Lansing in zip code 48911. Much of the rest of southwest Lansing, Mason, East Lansing, Meridian and Bath townships tallied 31-35 cases in zip codes 48910, 48823, 48854. Zip codes 48864 tracked between 21-25 cases. Zip code 48842 and 48906 tracked 16-20 cases. Zip codes 48912, 48915, 48840, 48895, 48917, 48819, 48827, 48892, 48909, 48933, 49251, 49264 and 49285 tracked 15 cases or less each.      

Eaton County              

Cases — 84 

Deaths — 5       

Fatality Rate — 6%

Recoveries — 51       

Clinton County              

Cases — 102  

Deaths — 6  

Fatality Rate — 6%       

Recoveries — N/A          

Michigan              

Cases — 29,263 (+4.3%)            

Deaths — 2,093(+9%)      

Fatality Rate — 7%

Recoveries — 433          

According to state reports, about 78% of cases (and about 84% of those dead) are from Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties, including the city of Detroit. Data also shows African Americans accounted for 33% of cases and 41% of deaths. Caucasians accounted for 28% of cases and 41% of deaths; those of unknown race charted 29% of cases and 13% of deaths.          

At least 486 cases and 12 deaths are among Michigan Department of Corrections inmates.        

U.S.            

Cases — 641,523   

Deaths — 28,759

Source: The New York Times           

Michigan is the state with the fourth most confirmed cases in the country, behind New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts. Michigan also reports the third most virus deaths in the U.S.    

In Lansing … 

Hundreds of beeping vehicles swarmed downtown Lansing yesterday afternoon, jamming up several intersections, blocking roadways and crowding the State Capitol lawn to protest Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s “Stay Safe, Stay Home” executive order. Read more from City Pulse.   

Whitmer responded at a press conference in the midst of the chaos, noting that she was “really disappointed” to see people congregating, not wearing masks and passing out candy to kids.  

“We know that this rally endangered people. This kind of activity will put more people at risk and sadly, it could prolong the amount of time we have to be in this posture,” Whitmer said yesterday. “We know that this demonstration is going to come at a cost to people’s heath.” 

Whitmer also suggested that the risky behavior may have created a need to lengthen the statewide lockdown, but quickly clarified: “I’m not saying that’s going to happen,” she added. 

Whitmer told MSNBC last night that the rally was more about politics than her executive order. 

““It wasn’t really about the stay-at-home order at all,” Whitmer said, according to recent reports published by MLive. “It was essentially a political rally, a political statement that flies in the face of all of the science and all of the best practices from the stay-at-home order that was issued.” 

State officials said analyses to determine how businesses can reopen are constantly reviewed. Whitmer is hoping to lift restrictions by April 30, but cautioned that too many uncertainties remain. 

Across Michigan… 

Whitmer signed an executive order yesterday to establish procedures in long-term care facilities to protect the health and safety of both their employees and residents. New “regional hubs” will provide higher levels of care and services to treat patients with increased needs, officials said. 

All other nursing facilities will continue to provide care in a traditional manner which may include those diagnosed with COVID-19, but do not require specialized care and services. Facilities will also be required to inform both employees and residents if another resident displays symptoms. 

Separate units will be required for those experiencing symptoms. The order also protects residents from being evicted and protects employees from retaliation for staying home when exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms. Additional precautionary measures must also be taken by staff. 

Michigan received 50 ventilators on loan from the state of California yesterday to assist in the fight against COVID-19. The state of New York is also providing 100 additional ventilators.  

The state also recently received a $89.4 million federal grant to help the K-12 schools, colleges and universities hit hardest by the pandemic, officials announced yesterday in a press release.  

Whitmer also signed executive orders this week to extend relaxed Open Meetings Act requirements until at least May 12, enabling public bodies to continue to meet virtually. Another extended order will continue to relax regulatory requirements on hospitals until May 12. 

Be advised: Local health departments and state officials are continuing to reach out to residents who have tested positive for COVID-19, as well as to the contacts of those individuals. The goal: track the ongoing spread of the infection in individual communities across the state of Michigan.  

The Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services, as of yesterday, is prioritizing health insurance appeals related to a denial of coverage for COVID-19 testing or treatment. Consumers can file a request for an external review and call 877-999-6442 with questions.  

Attorney General Dana Nessel has forced two Rockford-area businesses — Frequency Apps. Corp. and Biores Technologies Inc. — from continuing to market and sell phony products, including a “Coronavirus Defender” patch, they claimed would protect people from COVID-19.  

The companies allegedly never sold any of the patches, but will be required to pay $1,000 to the state for its recent enforcement efforts, as well as $1,000 to any eventually proven customer.  

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is warning residents against the promotion or use of the animal heartworm drug ivermectin to treat or prevent COVID-19.  

Taxpayers are being reminded that they should file their state income tax returns before midnight on July 15. Under Whitmer’s executive order, that deadline was extended from April 15, though taxpayers who are owed a refund are encouraged to file their returns immediately.  

A virtual food drive organized by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is raising money to provide food boxes to seniors who are staying home to protect themselves.  

As federal checks continue to roll into bank accounts across Michigan, officials are assuring residents that the income will not affect their eligibility for state public assistance benefits.  

A total of 12 businesses and nonprofits across Michigan have been awarded a total of $1 million through the Pure Michigan Business Connect COVID-19 Emergency Access and Retooling Grants program, the Michigan Economic Development Corp. announced yesterday.  

The program is continuing to provide the funds to small manufacturers looking to retool and produce critical health and human service supplies in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. 

McLaren Medical Group — with 14 hospitals across Michigan — will furlough doctors and other staff as it grapples with a 60% drop in patients, according to reports in the Detroit Free Press

The latest information is posted at michigan.gov/coronavirus and cdc.gov/coronavirus.              

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