43 COVID cases tied to Ann Arbor party
LANSING » The Washtenaw County Health Department on Monday reported 43 coronavirus cases associated with a large house party held outside Ann Arbor nearly two weeks ago, with most of those infected being between the ages of 15 and 25.
Tracers identified 66 “exposed close contacts” outside family members in the people’s immediate households — defined as someone who had face-to-face contact with a Covid-19-positive individual for at least 15 minutes. The party was held in the Saline area.
People who attended the July 2-3 party or know they were exposed should selfquarantine and monitor for symptoms for 14 days.
“This is a very clear example of how quickly this virus spreads and how many people can be impacted in a very short amount of time,” said Jimena Loveluck, the county’s health officer. She urged residents to avoid large gatherings without physical distancing or masks.
As of Friday, people must wear face coverings in crowded outdoor settings — not just enclosed public spaces — or risk a $500 fine under an order from Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. On Monday, businesses had to start refusing entry or service to customers who refuse to wear masks.
The state reported 384 new confirmed cases and seven additional deaths. There have been at least 6,321 confirmed or probable deaths in Michigan — seventh-most in the country and the eighth-highest rate per capita.
The seven-day case average, roughly 548, is up from about 319 on June 28, according to an Associated Press analysis of data from Johns Hopkins University. There were 68.3 new cases per 100,000 people over the past two weeks, a lower rate than all but eight states.
The rolling daily average of deaths is about 13.6, up from 9.7 two weeks ago — but still well below the heights hit in April.