Michigan reports 6,225 new cases of COVID-19 and 65 deaths Saturday

On Saturday, November 7, 2020, the state of Michigan announced 6,225 new cases of COVID-19 and 65 more deaths linked to the virus.

The totals in the state since the start of the pandemic are now at 207,794 cases and 7,578 deaths.

You can see case rates and deaths from the weeks prior below. 

On Thursday Gov. Gretchen Whitmer spoke about the state of COVID-19 in Michigan, saying the current numbers are "very alarming." Michigan's daily case load of 4,101 on Wednesday was a new record - the same day that a new record was reached in the U.S. of 100,000 new cases

In her news conference, Gov. Whitmer urged state Republicans to pass legislation to wear masks indoors and in crowded outdoor areas, saying that codifying the mask mandate in a bipartisan way would send a resounding message to Michiganders that we all have to do our part in slowing the spread. 

The state's medical director Dr. Joneigh Khaldun also spoke and gave updates about case rates in regions across Michigan, saying health officials are "very concerned" about the numbers right now. 

PERCENT POSITIVE RATE

In Michigan, an average of 43,000 diagnostic tests was conducted daily the last week of October and into November with an overall percent positive rate of 7.5%. 

Dr. Khaldun has said that high of a percent positive rate indicates community spread is happening. She has previously stated that a percent positivity rate of 3% and below indicates community spread is not happening. Dr. Khaldun said the percent positive rate has been increasing for five weeks now.

Moreso, she added that many people - as many as 50% of cases right now - have no idea how they got the virus. 

The Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo regions have the highest percent positive rate right now, over 9%. 

The Detroit, Saginaw, Lansing and Saginaw regions have a rate between 5.5% - 7.7%. 

Jackson has the lowest rate right now at 4.1%. 

Information from Gov. Whitmer's 11/05 news conference

DAILY CASE RATES

Overall, Michigan's daily case rate is 261 cases per million people per day right now. Dr. Khaldun said the state is reporting more than five times the number of new cases per day now than what was being reported in early September. 

The Upper Peninsula has the highest case rate at 509 cases per million people per day.

The Grand Rapids region has a case rate of 370 cases per million people per day.

The Kalamazoo region has a case rate of 331 cases per million people per day. 

The Detroit, Saginaw, Lansing and Traverse City regions have case rates over 200 cases per million people per day.

The Jackson region has the lowest case rate in the state right now at 193 cases per million people per day.

Information from Gov. Whitmer's 11/05 news conference

HOSPITALIZATION AND DEATH RATES

Dr. Khaldun said all regions are still seeing an increase in hospitalizations. 

As of Nov. 4, more than 1,900 people were hospitalized for COVID across state, Dr. Khaldun said, which is four times more than the hospitalization rate at the end of August. We're not yet seeing the hospital numbers like what we saw in the spring, but Dr. Khaldun cautioned that they are still steadily rising. About 60% of covid hospitalizations are outside of SE Michigan. 

As hospitalization rates go up, expect deaths to follow in a few weeks. 

Dr. Khaldun said the average right now is 19 deaths per day, twice what it was in the beginning of September. She said some projection models show deaths could be up to 100 per day by the end of December if our curbing behaviors don't change. 

Information from Gov. Whitmer's 11/05 news conference

OUTBREAKS

Dr. Khaldun said on Nov. 5 that local health departments are tracking 509 outbreaks across the state right now, the largest number since the state began tracking outbreaks. 

On Monday, Sept. 14, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services started tracking outbreaks in schools across the entire state.

Using data from 45 health departments, the updates will be released every Monday at 3 p.m. and will include K-12, college and universities, number of cases, and if the cases involved staff, students, or both. It does not include cases where the virus was contracted from outside of the school.

You can read about the latest outbreak data in schools here

CONTACT TRACING

Authorities are still urging everyone to answer their phones if you get a call from the health department. Text messages are also now being sent in advance of the incoming call. 

Talking with the health department helps track where others may have been exposed to the virus.

Meanwhile, everyone is also still reminded to keep doing the basics to stay healthy - wear a mask, wash your hands and keep your distance from other people. 

PREVIOUS DAILY COVID-19 CASE COUNTS AND DEATHS

  • Friday, November 6 - 3,763 cases, 43 deaths
  • Thursday, November 5 - 5,710 cases, 51 deaths (26 from vital records review)
  • Wednesday, November 4 - 4,101 cases, 19 deaths
  • Tuesday, November 3 - 3,106 cases, 43 deaths (17 from vital records review) 
  • Monday, November 2 - 6,709 cases, 17 deaths over two days as the state no longer reports cases on Sundays
  • Saturday, October 31 - 3,792 cases, 31 deaths (20 identified through vital records review)
  • Friday, October 30 - 3,168 cases, 11 deaths
  • Thursday, October 29 - 3,675 cases, 41 deaths (22 identified through vital records review)
  • Wednesday, October 28 - 3,271 cases, 18 deaths
  • Tuesday, October 27 - 2,367 cases, 28 deaths (8 identified through vital records review)
  • Monday, October 26 - 3,881 cases, 29 deaths over two days as the state no longer reports cases on Sundays
  • Saturday, October 24 - 3,338 cases, 35 deaths
  • Friday, October 23 - 1,826 cases, 18 deaths
  • Thursday, October 22 - 1,873 cases, 43 deaths (31 identified through vital records review)
  • Wednesday, October 21 - 1,597 cases, 33 deaths
  • Tuesday, October 20 - 1,586 cases, 22 deaths (1 identified through vital records review)
  • Monday, October 19 - 2,909 cases, 21 deaths over two days as the state no longer reports cases on Sundays
  • Saturday, October 17 - 1,791 cases, 23 deaths 
  • Friday, October 16 - 2,015 cases, 14 deaths
  • Thursday, October 15 - 2,030 cases in largest single-day report ever, later attributed to a "system slowdown"; 32 deaths (21 identified through vital records review) 
  • Wednesday, October 14 - 1,359 cases, 13 deaths
  • Tuesday, October 13 - 1,237 cases, 30 deaths (10 identified during a Vital Records review)
  • Monday, October 12 - 1,809 cases, 7 deaths announced over two days as the state no longer reports cases on Sundays
  • Saturday, October 10 - 1,522 cases, 15 deaths (10 deaths identified during a Vital Records review)
  • Friday, October 9 - 1,095 cases, 7 deaths
  • Thursday, October 8 - 1,197 cases, 22 deaths (20 identified through vital records review) 
  • Wednesday, October 7 - 1,016 cases, 9 deaths
  • Tuesday, October 6 - 908 cases, 22 deaths (7 identified through vital records review)
  • Monday, October 5 - 1,407 cases, 15 deaths
  • Saturday, October 3 - 1,158 cases, 13 deaths