For the first time since Feb. 8, Michigan’s seven-day average positivity rate on coronavirus diagnostic tests is now 4%.
For the past three and a half weeks, the rate had ranged from 3.3% to 3.9%.
Along with the rise in the positivity rate, the seven-day average of new cases also has increased. It’s currently 1,210, a 11% increase compared to an average of 1,095 a week ago. It’s the first time in four weeks the seven-day average has exceeded 1,200.
The statewide seven-day average positivity rate on coronavirus diagnostic tests is now 4% compared to 3.5% a week ago today.
Below is a closer look at the county-level data, based on two of the metrics used by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
First, a look at the seven-day average positivity rates by county, grouped by the state’s metric.
- Level E (over 20%): None.
- Level D (15-20%): None.
- Level C (10-15%): Missaukee.
- Level B (7-10%): 11 counties, highest to lowest -- Kalkaska, St Joseph, Roscommon, Newaygo, Luce, Huron, Cass, Tuscola, Lapeer, Cheboygan and Shiawassee.
- Level A (3-7%): 48 counties, highest to lowest -- Livingston, Hillsdale, St Clair, Gogebic, Wexford, Berrien, Montmorency, Macomb, Calhoun, Allegan, Kalamazoo, Genesee, Bay, Ingham, Crawford, Arenac, Oceana, Wayne, Sanilac, Saginaw, Monroe, Osceola, Van Buren, Eaton, Kent, Mecosta, Lenawee, Midland, Leelanau, Jackson, Benzie, Antrim, Barry, Clinton, Gladwin, Oakland, Lake, Clare, Mason, Grand Traverse, Branch, Alcona, Ottawa, Otsego, Presque Isle, Ionia, Iosco and Ontonagon.
- Low (under 3%): 23 counties, highest to lowest -- Montcalm, Delta, Muskegon, Houghton, Isabella, Emmet, Mackinac, Baraga, Gratiot, Washtenaw, Alpena, Charlevoix, Menominee, Ogemaw, Dickinson, Chippewa, Manistee, Alger, Iron, Marquette, Keweenaw, Oscoda and Schoolcraft.
The chart below allows you to look up any county by name to see the seven-day average positivity rate for Feb. 24-March 2. 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.
New cases per capita
New daily cases per capita is another metric used by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to access coronavirus risk.
This metric calculates the average number of new cases per 1 million residents.
The levels for each county:
- Level E (Over 150 cases per million): 17 counties, highest to lowest -- Missaukee, Newaygo, Sanilac, St. Joseph, Kalkaska, Calhoun, Crawford, Bay, Cass, Tuscola, Lenawee, Monroe, Berrien, Lapeer, Gogebic, Antrim and Shiawassee.
- Level D (70 to 149 cases per million): 37 counties -- Midland, Macomb, St. Clair, Livingston, Roscommon, Saginaw, Cheboygan, Barry, Jackson, Wexford, Genesee, Grand Traverse, Montmorency, Ingham, Huron, Allegan, Kalamazoo, Wayne, Kent, Hillsdale, Ionia, Eaton, Arenac, Oakland, Osceola, Ottawa, Washtenaw, Van Buren, Gladwin, Houghton, Lake, Clinton, Benzie, Mecosta, Delta, Oceana and Mason.
- Level C (40 to 69 cases per million): 15 counties -- Otsego, Keweenaw, Isabella, Charlevoix, Branch, Montcalm, Clare, Emmet, Schoolcraft, Mackinac, Gratiot, Alpena, Leelanau, Presque Isle and Chippewa.
- Level B (20 to 40 cases per million), six counties: Marquette, Oscoda, Muskegon, Alger, Alcona and Ontonagon.
- Level A (7 to 20 cases per million): Menominee, Manistee, Iron and Dickinson.
- Low (Below 7 cases per million): Ogemaw, Iosco, Luce and Baraga.
Here 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 current scores are based on new cases reported Feb. 25-March 3. The map below is shaded based on the state’s six levels. The arrows indicate whether the total number of new cases reported in the last seven days has gone up or down compared to Feb. 18-24.
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.)
Below are online databases that allow readers to look up county-level data for each of the last 30 days.
Overall score
All eight of Michigan’s MI Start regions are now at Level D 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.
(The state’s MI Start districts: Region 1 is the Detroit region; Region 2 is Grand Rapids; Region 3, Kalamazoo; Region 4, Saginaw; Region 5, Lansing; Region 6, Traverse City; Region 7, Jackson, and Region 8, the Upper Peninsula.)
Cases by day it was reported to the state
First is a chart showing new cases reported to the state each day for the past 30 days. This is based on when a confirmed coronavirus test is reported to the state, which means the patient first became sick days before.
You can call up a chart for any county, and you can put your cursor over a bar to see the date and number of cases.
(In a few instances, a county reported a negative number (decline) in daily new cases, following a retroactive reclassification by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. In those instances, we subtracted cases from the prior date and put 0 in the reported date.)
The next chart below shows new cases for the past 30 days based on onset of symptoms. In this chart, numbers for the most recent days are incomplete because of the lag time between people getting sick and getting a confirmed coronavirus test result, which can take up to a week or more.
You can call up a chart for any county, and you can put your cursor over a bar to see the date and number of cases.
More localized maps
Below are two maps created by the EpiBayes research group at University of Michigan’s Department of Epidemiology, which has access to sub-county data collected by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
The interactive maps break down the state into 10 kilometer hexogons to provide more a more localized look at where coronavirus cases are occurring. You can click here to get to the research project website.
The first map looks at confirmed and probable coronavirus cases in the past week. You can click on a hexagon to see the underlying data.
You can use the triangle button at the upper right of the map to toggle to the second map, which shows total confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths since the start of the pandemic.
Latest daily report
On Saturday, March 6. the state reported 1,280 new cases of coronavirus and 56 deaths.
The map below shows total confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths since the start of the pandemic. You can put your cursor over a county to see the underlying numbers.
For more statewide data, visit MLive’s coronavirus data page, here. To find a testing site near you, check out the state’s online test finder, here, send an email to COVID19@michigan.gov, or call 888-535-6136 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays.
For more data on COVID-19 in Michigan, visit https://www.mlive.com/coronavirus/data/.
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