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25 cases of Delta COVID-19 variant reported in Michigan

By Jack Nissen
Published  June 22, 2021 11:18am EDT
Coronavirus in Michigan
FOX 2 Detroit

Most remaining COVID-19 restrictions rolled back in Michigan Tuesday

Most of the remaining rules that dictated how residents in the state navigated the public health crisis have been rolled back.

LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan health department has confirmed 25 cases of the new Delta variant in the state. 

According to the state, 11 of the cases were reported in Michigan residents, 11 were reported in out-of-state residents, and three have yet to have their location identified.

The recently-discovered COVID-19 strain poses a particular danger to unvaccinated people because of its rapid spreading capability and could prompt another surge in cases around the U.S. It's likely to become the predominant strain in the country within the next few weeks.

That could become a problem in parts of Michigan like Detroit where the vaccination rate remains low.

The first confirmed Delta cases among Michigan residents were found on May 9 when four were discovered by the Department of Health and Human Services. Another five were confirmed in May while two were reported in June.

Among the earliest cases, three were in Wayne County and another in Livingston County. 

Since then, cases have also been reported in Oakland, Lapeer, and Calhoun County. 

Identifying the particular strain that someone has been infected with can take time, MDHHS said in a confirmation email to FOX 2. "As you know, the time for completing the genetic sequencing for these cases can take a while after the diagnosis occurs and we only have information for the subset of COVID cases which undergo sequencing."

The state added that it had not seen a large increase in the Delta variant since its first identifications.

Michigan's low transmission rate is an indicator the state has largely mitigated any uncontrolled spread of COVID-19. With at least 60% of the state's population at least partly protected by vaccinations, it's seen its near-future outlook improved. 

RELATED: Michigan lifts its remaining business and mask rules

On Tuesday, Michigan reopened the rest of the state by rolling back the majority of its restrictions related to the virus.

But there are pitfalls around the corner with the new strain. Vaccines have been found to be generally effective against most variants, including the Delta strain.