One year later: A look at pandemic timeline
Outbreak began in state March 10, 2020
One of the ballyhooed numbers pointing to the severity of the yearlong coronavirus pandemic recently is that more people nationally have died from the virus than soldiers who died in World War II.
A closer look at Michigan reveals numbers just as grim.
More than 15,600 people in Michigan have died from the virus since the pandemic began a year ago.
To put that in perspective:
All but 121 of Michigan’s 1,275 cities, villages and townships have populations greater than the number of people who have died from the virus..the number of deaths is equivalent to wiping out the population of a mediumsized city.
The number of dead from the virus in Michigan is greater than the combined number of Michiganders who died in World War II, 3,555, in Vietnam, 2,651, and World War I, 5,000.
The number of dead from the virus in Michigan is greater than the 14,753 Michigan soldiers killed in the American Civil War, 1861-65.
Roughly one in 16 Michigan residents has had coronavirus.
Roughly one in 650 Michigan residents have died from the virus.
Here’s a look at how the pandemic unfolded in Michigan:
• March 10, 2020 – First two confirmed cases of coronavirus in Michigan; Gov. Whitmer declares state of emergency.
• March 11, 2020 – K-12 school buildings later closed for several weeks, then closings extended for balance of the school year.
• March 11, 2020 – The World Health Organization declares COVID-19 a pandemic.
• March 18, 2020 – First three confirmed deaths from coronavirus in Michigan.
• March 24, 2020 – Statewide stay-at-home order issued, closing or limiting non-essential businesses.
• March 30, 2020 – New confirmed daily cases of coronavirus top 1,000 for the first time.
• April 2, 2020 – Total cases of coronavirus top 10,000.
• April 9, 2020 – Total deaths from the virus top 1,000.
• April 10, 2020 – TCF Center in Detroit, formerly
Cobo Hall, becomes a functioning field hospital.
• May 15, 2020 – Total cases of coronavirus top 50,000 5/19/2020 Total deaths from the virus top 5,000.
• June 1, 2020 – Stay-athome order partially lifted.
• June 8, 2020 – Restaurants, bars and other businesses allowed to reopen with restrictions.
• July 5, 2020 – No new deaths in Michigan reported for the first time since March.
• Aug. 28, 2020 – Total cases of coronavirus top 100,000.
• Oct. 9, 2020 – Movie theaters and other entertainment venues allowed to reopen.
• Nov. 6. 2020 – Total cases of coronavirus top 200,000.
• Nov. 15, 2020 – A spike in cases leads to closure of indoor dining and entertainment venues.
• Nov. 21, 2020 – Total cases of coronavirus top 300,000.
• Nov. 27, 2020 – Daily confirmed cases reach peak 17,162.
• Dec. 7. 2020 – Total
cases of coronavirus top 400,000.
• Dec. 8, 2020 – Total deaths from the virus reach 10,000.
• Dec. 14, 2020 – First vaccinations administered in Michigan.
• Dec. 18, 2020 – Closing of indoor dining continued for four weeks but other entertainment venues are allowed to reopen.
• Jan. 4, 2021 – Total cases of coronavirus top 500,000 1/9/2021 First vaccine administered by Oakland County Health Department.
• Jan. 22, 2021 – Restaurants allowed to reopen with 25% capacity beginning Feb. 1.
• Feb. 12, 2021 – Total deaths from the virus top 15,000 3/2/2021 Health order relaxes restrictions and expands capacity on indoor dining, indoor venues and gatherings, and residential care facilities.
• March 2, 2021 – Health order relaxes restrictions and expands capacity on indoor dining, indoor venues and gatherings, and residential care facilities.