Cases still predominate in populated areas

State reports 2,048 new cases on Tuesday

New cases in the more populated areas of the county continue to drive Michigan’s coronavirus numbers a year after the pandemic began.

Michigan announced 2,048 new cases of the virus Tuesday and 28 deaths, bringing the state’s total to 612,628 cases and 15,810 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

Southeast Michigan continues to drive the numbers with more than 40 percent of the new cases.

There were 290 cases and three deaths in Wayne County, 269 cases and two deaths in Oakland County, 252 cases and one death in Macomb County, and 64 cases and one death in Detroit.

Other areas of the state with higher population levels are also seeing relatively higher numbers.

There were 76 cases and one death in Kent County, 44 cases and one death in Calhoun County, 78 cases and two deaths in Genesee County, 53 cases and two deaths in Monroe County, 73 cases and one death in St. Clair County, 25 cases and one death in Lapeer County, 67 cases and two deaths in Ingham County, 69 cases and one death in Kalamazoo County, and 29 cases and one death in Eaton County.

In mid Michigan, there were three cases in Clare County, two cases in Gratiot County, and six cases in Isabella County.

Eleven of Michigan’s 83 counties, mostly in rural areas, reported no new cases or deaths.

The state’s goal is to vaccinate 70 percent of the 8,096,917 people age 16 and older.

So far, health providers have completely vaccinated 2,015,532 people in that age range, or 24.9 percent, including 268,973 in Oakland County, 159,483 in Macomb County, 222,491 in Wayne County, and 74,958 in Detroit.