MI COVID-19 Surge: 18,557 Average For Past 2 Days, 251 New Deaths

Dylan Siwicki
Updated ·1 min read

MICHIGAN — State health officials reported 37,114 new COVID-19 cases over a two-day period and 251 new deaths on Friday.

The number averages to averages 18,557 new cases per day over Thursday and Friday, which is slightly lower than the record 20,346 cases per day average was reported last week.

The numbers come amid Michigan's fourth COVID-19 surge, which has stressed hospitals with record daily averages and hospitalizations.

President Biden announced Thursday the federal government will medical teams to six states, including Michigan, to help hospitals battle the latest COVID-19 surge.

About 29 percent of hospitals in Michigan reported staffing issues, including Beaumont Health, which said it's at a "breaking point" amid the state's fourth COVID-19 surge.

State health officials warned the omicron variant's peak won't occur until late January or early February, in which the state could see 8,000 people hospitalized with COVID-19.

This article originally appeared on the Detroit Patch