Macomb County confirms its first case of coronavirus/COVID-19
MACOMB CO. Mich. - Macomb County has announced its first presumptive positive case of coronavirus.
Late Friday, county health officials said a middle-aged adult male with a history of travel had been diagnosed with the viral disease and has been hospitalized.
It's unclear if Macomb's confirmation is a new case, or clarifying information from a previously reported case. The health department is working to figure out who may have been in contact with the infected individual.
“This is a time for Macomb County residents to unite and help to prevent the spread of this virus,” said County Executive Mark A. Hackel. “We need to remain calm, and follow guidelines that have been established by public health professionals.”
Currently, there are 16 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Michigan, which several counties around the state reporting confirmations. On mid-afternoon Friday, the state health department reported four new cases of coronavirus, including a case that specified the gender as being an adult male but providing no additional information.
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The state reported its first confirmed cases Tuesday night; one female from Oakland County and one male from Wayne County.
On Thursday, nine more cases from around the state were confirmed:
- An adult female from Ingham County
- Two adult females and one adult male from Kent County
- An adult female from Montcalm
- Two adult males from Oakland County
- An adult male from St. Clair County
- One adult female and one adult male from Washtenaw County
The four cases confirmed Friday include:
- An adult female from Detroit
- An adult male from Washtenaw County
- An adult female from Wayne County
- An adult male from an unknown location
Symptoms of COVID-19 may appear more slowly. They usually include fever, a dry cough and noticeable shortness of breath, according to the World Health Organization. A minority of cases develop pneumonia, and the disease is especially worrisome for the elderly and those with other medical problems such as high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes or heart conditions.
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Right now there's one big difference between flu and coronavirus: A vaccine exists to help prevent the flu and it's not too late to get it. It won't protect you from catching the coronavirus but may put you in a better position to fight it.
To protect yourself, wash your hands well and often, keep them away from your face, and avoid crowds and standing close to people.
And if you do find yourself showing any of these flu or coronavirus symptoms - don't go straight to your doctor's office. That just risks making more people sick, officials urge. Call ahead, and ask if you need to be seen and where.