Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties have all moved into the red or high designation for COVID-19 transmission, under which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone should wear a mask in public.
The three counties had been in the green (low) or yellow (medium) classifications until recently, which carry less concern about COVID-19 transmission.
The CDC classifies each county based on several factors, including the number of hospitalizations and the level of new cases per 100,000 population.
Here are the most recent data for the metro Detroit area:
Macomb: 233.9 cases and 10.5 new admissions per 100,000 population
Oakland: 217.1 cases 10.5 new admissions per 100,000 population
Wayne: 201.8 cases and 10.5 new admissions per 100,000 population.
Most of the state remains in the green designation.
In addition to Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties, Washtenaw and Monroe are in the red classification. A few counties in the northern Lower Peninsula and the Upper Peninsula are also in the red designation.
The statewide weekly totals have been growing since early June.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services releases the weekly total every Tuesday. Last week, MDHHS reported 19,653 confirmed and probable cases statewide.
In the red classification, the CDC recommends:
Wearing a mask indoors in public and on public transportation.
Staying up to date with COVID-19 vaccines.
Getting tested if you have symptoms.
If you are at high risk for severe illness from COVID-19, consider taking additional precautions. To learn more, go to https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html.
In the yellow category, the CDC recommends only that people with certain health conditions wear a mask in public.
In the green category, the CDC recommends wearing a mask only if you have symptoms, a positive test or exposure to someone with COVID-19.
The CDC issues recommendations on mask usage but does not mandate it. State and local governments have not issued any mask mandates since the tri-county area fell into the red designation.
