New virus cases up by 7,458
Michigan saw another significant increase in the spread of coronavirus on Tuesday, adding 7,458 new cases as the seven-day average has neared 7,000 — another high.
The state also reported 79 more deaths, with 24 of those coming from reviews of vital records.
Statewide, since the arrival of the pandemic in March, confirmed infections number 272,034 with 8,128 deaths recorded.
And the seven-day average of new cases have continued to rise, hitting yet another record at 6,965.
Each day this month, the seven- day average of new cases has increased, starting on Nov. 1 at 2,879. By Nov. 7, it passed 4,000, then 5,000 on Nov. 10.
The update from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services on Tuesday was the eighth straight day with more than 6,000 new cases.
Worldwide, the number of cases was approaching 55.3 million as the state updated its caseload, while deaths topped 1.33 million, according to Johns Hopkins University data. In the U.S., the number of cases was above 11.23 million with almost 247,500 dead. Michigan was up to the 11th position in the U.S., moving past New Jersey and just behind Ohio, which has had more than 305,000 cases.
Michigan, when counting the probable cases, has had 296,840 cases and 8,511 deaths.
Deaths
The number of deaths reported has increased this past week, with 404 deaths in the last seven days. The first ten days of the month had 384 deaths reported.
So far this month, 788 deaths have been recorded.
On Tuesday, five professors in medical fields sent a letter praising the efforts by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Robert Gordon, the head of the MDHHS citing the increasing cases leading to increasing hospitalizations.
“Deaths from COVID are also on the rise,” the doctors wrote. “Michigan is not alone. States ahead of Michigan on the pandemic curve have run out of hospital capacity and are resorting to building field hospitals, establishing mobile morgues, and calling in medical personnel from the military to address staff shortages.”
The team — including Joshua Sharfstein and Caitlin Rivers of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the former director of the CDC, Tom Frieden — wrote to the state leaders that their efforts are essential and asked them not to be deterred by the “irresponsible” denials of the severity of the pandemic and misinformation about the value of face masks.
“To avoid this grim future, urgent action is essential, with restrictions best focused on the areas where transmission is greatest,” they wrote. “In addition, every person must take seriously their own responsibility to wear masks when around others, keep distance wherever possible and wash their hands thoroughly and regularly.”
Local trends
On Tuesday, Oakland County continued to see the rapid spread of coronavirus, adding nearly 1,000 cases in a day.
While the first week of the month saw Oakland County adding 300 to 500 cases a day, in the past week to 10 days, the county has added 600 to 800 cases per day.
With the addition Tuesday of 941 cases, Oakland County now has had 31,715 confirmed cases of COVID-19 — the most in the state.
Macomb County added the second most cases Tuesday, up by 784 to reach 27,636.
Wayne County, without Detroit, was up by 742, reaching 31,015. And in Detroit, which has trended much lower than the suburban counties, added 233 cases to end the day at 17,752.
Just to the north, Genesee County was up 378 cases to approach 10,000, landing at 9,712.
Washtenaw County added 152 cases and was at 7,114.