Monday News Hit: COVID-19 leveling off, re-engaging the economy and a 5-year-old succumbs to the virus

Sunday delivered positive news to many Michigan residents watching the spread of COVID-19 throughout the state. Over the weekend, health officials reported some of their lowest daily totals for new cases of coronavirus and deaths linked to the pandemic. A sign that social distancing first enforced weeks ago may be having an effect, 633 new cases and 83 more deaths were reported on Sunday.

Prior to this weekend, you have to go back to March 26 to see fewer cases reported in a single day. While weekends tend to deliver fewer numbers regardless due to less weekend testing being undertaken, both reports are the latest in a precipitous decline of COVID-19 in Michigan that reached its peak April 3. In addition to the declining numbers of new patients is the growing number of people who have recovered. More than 3,200 people, including Detroit Police Chief James Craig, have overcome the COVID-19 illness. 

The falling numbers come at the right time as many residents are beginning to get impatient with state-enforced restrictions on schools, public space, and nonessential businesses. 

One such resident is Royal Oak Commissioner Kim Gibbs who angered her constituents last week after she was spotted ignoring social distancing guidelines during a protest in Lansing. Of the three or four thousand protesters that made an appearance in the state capital during Operation Gridlock, several hundred left their vehicles and congregated on the capitol lawn. Touting anti-Gretchen Whitmer signs, the protest sparked controversy across the country and was the latest in a series of mounting pressures against state governors that have ordered shelter-in-place laws.

While Gov. Whitmer's executive orders go until the end of April, it's unlikely she'll have the opportunity to announce another state restriction. In addition to mounting pressure from residents are calls from GOP legislators for her to recall the most restrictive measures of Whitmer's stay-at-home order, which includes barring residents from purchasing paint and going boating.

However, Whitmer has already indicated she intends to begin lifting restrictions by May 1. In addition to a statement made on Good Morning America on Friday, the governor following up during a press conference her administration would start releasing plans to reopen the state economy this week. GOP lawmakers also released a framework for what benchmarks the state should hit when considering what businesses to open and when.

“Social distancing is still crucial. When we start returning to work, we will begin with low-risk sectors. As a state, we may re-engage our strategy by region, depending on what the data tells us,” Whitmer said.

Many states are starting to ask similar questions of how they should reopen their economies as well. To offset some of the uncertainty, states are banding together by region to begin opening in lockstep with other states. Michigan will be working with Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Kentucky, and Minnesota.

Even as fewer cases are reported, the direction that the death toll takes due to COVID-19 is uncertain. The 2,391 people that have died is one of the country's highest rates. One of the casualties is 5-year-old Skylar Herbert, a Detroit resident who succumbed to her illness after being diagnosed weeks ago.

Herbert is one of the youngest individuals to die from COVID-19. 

Daily Forecast

Monday will bring some sun, but cold temperatures and even a few flakes will return Tuesday.

Gunman kills 16 in rampage, deadliest in Canadian history

A man disguised as a police officer went on a shooting rampage in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia Sunday. Killing 16 people, it's the deadliest attack in the country's history. With residents already on lockdown, police began advising residents to lock their doors and stay in their basements. Several homes were also set on fire as well.