After weeks of unnerving increases in new coronavirus cases and positivity rates in Michigan, there are a couple signs the numbers may be cresting.
The most hopeful sign: The statewide positivity rate on coronavirus diagnostic tests is dropping. It was 12.1% for test results reported Friday, April 16, with a seven-day average of 14.3%. The former was the lowest one-day rate since March 26, and the latter was the lowest since April 1.
The number of daily new cases also seems to be plateauing: The seven-day average rose only 2.8% last week, April 11-17, compared to the week before. And that increase is largely explained by a spike in testing:There were 22% more coronavirus tests performed last week (an average of 51,271 a day) compared to the previous seven days (41,960 daily average).
That said, hospitalizations and deaths continue to rise -- no surprise, since those are lagging factors.
Below is a look at state and county numbers for new cases and positivity rates, as well as statewide numbers on hospitalizations, deaths and vaccinations..
New cases: The state is averaging 6,732 new confirmed cases a day.
That’s up 2.8% from 6,545 a week ago.
The top five counties in per-capita cases for April 11-18: St. Clair, Sanilac, Huron, Tuscola and Macomb. The first four are all the Thumb region.
Below is an online database that allows readers to see the number of new coronavirus cases in the past seven days compared to the previous week, as well as the per capita number that adjusts for population. The arrows indicate whether the total number of new cases reported in the last seven days has gone up or down compared to the previous seven days.
The map below is shaded based on the state’s six risk-assessment levels. The arrows indicate whether the total number of new cases reported in the last seven days has gone up or down compared to April 4-10.
Readers can put their cursor over a county to see the underlying data. (Hint: You can drag the map with your cursor to see the entire U.P.)
Positivity rate: The seven-day average is now 14.3%.
The seven-day positivity rate on coronavirus diagnostic tests was 16.6% a week ago. In Saturday’s report, 12.1% of coronavirus test results reported on Friday were positive.
A total of 72 counties have seven-day average positivity rates over 10%; 54 are over 15%; 24 counties are over 20%.
The chart below allows you to look up any county by name to see the seven-day average positivity rate. The chart compares the average from the past seven days to the average for the previous week.
The interactive map below shows the seven-day average testing rate by county. You can put your cursor over a county to see the underlying data.
Hospitalizations: 4,242 inpatients
Michigan had 4,183 adults patients and 59 pediatric patients hospitalized with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 on Friday, April 16. That includes 873 patients in the ICU.
By comparison, there were 3,822 hospitalizations with 735 patients in the ICU on Friday, April 9.
Seven Michigan hospitals had more than 100 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Thursday, April 15: Beaumont Royal Oak had 206; Henry Ford Macomb, 184; Beaumont Troy, 167; Henry Ford in Detroit, 158; Sparrow Hospital in Lansing, 152; Beaumont Dearborn, 125, and Michigan Medicine in Ann Arbor, 108.
Twenty-three hospitals were at 95% capacity or above on Thursday, including four at 100%: Beaumont Troy, Ascension St. Joseph in Tawas City, Ascension Standish and Sheridan in Montcalm County.
The five at 98% capacity: St. Joseph Mercy in Ann Arbor, Bronson Methodist in Kalamazoo, Harper University/Hutzel Women’s Hospitals in Detroit), Detroit Receiving and St. Joseph Mercy Livingston.
Henry Ford Macomb, Sparrow in Lansing and Beaumont Dearborn are at 97%, and McLaren Flint and Hurley in Flint at 96%.
The eight at 95% capacity: Beaumont Farmington Hills, Ascension Providence Novi, Spectrum Blodgett in Grand Rapids, Henry Ford West Bloomfield, McLaren Bay Region, Beaumont Wayne, Ascension St. Mary’s in Saginaw and St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea.
Deaths: The state is averaging 49 deaths a day.
That compares to a seven-day daily average of 40 deaths a week ago.
On Saturday, the state reported 69 deaths, including 60 that occurred prior to the last 24 hours and were identified by the state health department during a vital records review. These reviews happen three times per week.
Younger people are growing proportion of those dying of COVID-19. Of the 340 deaths reported between April 4-10, 22% were under age 60. That compares to 10% during the first year of the pandemic.
Vaccinations: 44.1% of adults have received at least one dose
As of Saturday, April 17, a total of 3,594.718 adults have gotten at least one dose of vaccine, and 2,193.401 -- or 29.4% -- are fully vaccinated.
Below is a breakdown by age group of adults who have gotten at least one dose of vaccine and those who are fully immunized.
- 75 and older: 71% initiated; 62% completed.
- 65 to 74: 72% initiated; 63% completed.
- 50 to 64: 52% initiated; 33% completed.
- 40 to 49: 37% initiated; 20% completed.
- 30 to 39: 33% initiated; 17% completed.
- 20 to 29: 24% initiated; 11% completed.
- 16 to 19: 17% initiated; 4% completed.
State’s overall risk assessment: All 8 regions at highest level
All eight Michigan’s MI Start regions are back up to Level E in the state’s overall risk assessment.
In assigning the risk scores, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services looks at factors such as new cases and deaths per capita, test positivity rates, number of tests administered and emergency department visits for COVID-19 symptoms. The scale used by MDHHS has six levels -- “low” plus Levels A-E.
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