District: Staff member infected

Michigan reported 891 new COVID-19 cases Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020, and 19 new COVID-19 deaths.

Of those deaths, 11 were discovered during a Vital Records review.

The state’s totals are now 125,578 confirmed cases since the onset of the pandemic, and 6,781 total deaths.

Including 13,434 probable cases and 321 probable deaths, the totals are now 139,012 cases and 7,102 deaths.

A probable cases is a person who has symptoms and an epidemiological link to COVID-19, but who has not been tested. A probable death is a person for whomCOVID-19 is listed as a cause of death or a significant contributing factor.

To date, just over 4 million tests have been performed in Michigan, or about 400,000 per million residents. Of those, 3.72 million were diagnostic tests around 296,000 were serology tests.

A diagnostic test looks for genes or proteins from SARS- CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. It indicates whether a person currently has the virus.

Serology tests look for the possibility of a previous infection by scanning for antibodies.

By county

Wayne County and Macomb County both reported 81 new cases Thursday, the highest in the Metro-Detroit area.

Wayne County now has a total of 18,591 cases and 1,291 deaths, one more than the previous day.

Macomb County also reported a single new death. It now has 14,331 cases and 977 total deaths.

Oakland County reported 55 new cases and three new deaths. Its numbers are now 16,772 cases and 1,157 deaths.

In Detroit, 28 new cases brought its total to 14,468 since the onset of COVID-19. It reported one new death, now at 1,531.

In mid-Michigan, Isabella County and Gratiot County both reported 3 new cases each, while Clare County reported a single new case. There were no new deaths in either of the three counties.

Isabella County has a total of 645 cases and 14 deaths. Gratiot County has 258 cases and 15 total deaths. Clare County reported 105 cases and four new deaths.

Kent County was also hit hard Thursday, with 78 new cases bringing its total to 9,446. An adjustment in the number of Kent County deaths brought its reported total down from 173 to 171.

State impact

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced new rules for Michigan nursing homes. Infected nursing home residents without access to a dedicated COVID-19 unite will be transferred to “care and recovery” centers, the Associated Press reported.

Previously, the residents were instead transferred to one of 21 state designated “hub” nursing homes.