COVID-19 claims 14 lives over weekend

Fourteen COVID-19 deaths were reported across mid-michigan over the weekend, including three each in Clare and Gratiot counties.

One of the Clare deaths involved an elderly man who lived at Medilodge of Clare, 600 E. 4th St., said Steve Hall, health officer for Central Michigan District Health Department.

Medilodge of Clare was one of two Clare County nursing homes that had outbreaks in October.

The other, North Woods Nursing Center, in Farwell, was at the time the worst nursing home outbreak in mid-michigan. A total of 80 people associated with that facility have now had confirmed cases, 40 residents and 40 staff.

By contrast, Medilodge had just a few cases and no deaths.

Recently, the nursing home has reported its first deaths to the state. Two people have died, including the man who died Saturday. The number of cases associated with the nursing home is now 67, 37 residents and 30 staff.

Medilodge and North Woods are the only two Clare County nursing homes associated with fatal cases of COVID-19.

The other two new Clare County deaths involved an el

derly man with underlying health conditions who died Saturday and an elderly woman who was hospitalized and who died Thursday, Hall said.

The three deaths bring Clare County’s total deaths to 32; on Monday, an additional 33 confirmed cases were reported for a cumulative total of 1,015.

No information was immediately available about the new deaths in Gratiot County due to a computer glitch, said Leslie Kinnee, spokeswoman for MidMichigan District Health Department.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services reported an additional three deaths in Gratiot County, bringing its total to 58. An additional 63 cases were reported over the weekend, bringing its cumulative total to 2,131.

One new death was reported in Isabella County over the weekend, as were 47 new confirmed cases of the disease.

The death involved an elderly woman with underlying health conditions who died Friday, Hall said.

Isabella County’s cumulative total of confirmed COVID-19 cases increased to 2,905, according to state records.

Elsewhere in mid-michigan, seven new deaths were reported in three counties, with totals and cumulative cases as follows:

• In Gladwin County, an additional two deaths were reported for a total of 24, and an additional 13 cases were announced for a cumulative total of 965;

• In Montcalm County, an additional four deaths were reported for a total of 35, and an additional 38 cases were announced for a cumulative total of 3,198;

• In Midland County, an additional death was reported for a total of 36, and an additional 46 cases were announced for a cumulative total of 3,244; and,

• An additional five cases were reported in Mecosta County for a cumulative total of 1,512, with 12 deaths.

Statewide, another 71 deaths were reported for a total of 11,532, and another 4,551 cases were reported Monday for a cumulative total of 463,403. Those new confirmed cases are for two days, for a 2,275 per- day average.