Lansing, Mich. (WLNS) — State health officials today are reporting 89,271 cases and 6,273 deaths due to the coronavirus in Michigan. The increase today was 517 new cases and 9 deaths.
Most of the cases have been highly concentrated in the metro-Detroit area and surrounding counties, including Wayne, Oakland, Macomb and Washtenaw. Genesee, Kent and Saginaw are not far behind.
Across Eaton, Ingham, Clinton, Shiawassee and Jackson counties, 112 people have died from COVID-19.
The statewide recovery rate, which is updated everyday Saturday, is 73 percent.
In the past month, the state has consistently conducted more than 20,000 tests per day.
Breaking down cases by age group, 20-29 year-olds and 50-59 year-olds show the most amount of cases with the 30-39 year-olds and 40-49 year-olds following behind.
Last week, Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Chief Medical Executive, Dr. Joneigh Khaldun updated Michiganders on the state of the pandemic, with a focus on Black Michiganders and communities of color
Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced the creation of the Black Leadership Advisory Council, a council that will work to identify paths of opportunity for Black Michiganders. It is the first advisory council of its kind, Whitmer said. The deadline to apply for the council is Wednesday, August 19.
Whitmer also announced a new directive, which declared racism is a public health crisis, which will direct the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to develop, plan, implement and advocate for communities of color.
Black Michiganders are four times more likely to die of COVID-19 than whites, despite making up 14 percent of the population in Michigan.
Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II highlighted the inequities the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated among Black and Latino communities.
“These inequities are as old as America itself,” Gilchrist said.
“We should have said this long ago. Racism is a public health crisis,” Gilchrist said. “But it’s not enough to simply label a health crisis. We have to take steps and this declaration creates a phase for agencies to respond to and coordinate programs to put Michigan on a path to address the issues head-on.”