Southeast still driving high daily case counts, deaths

State reports 5,498 new infections, 20 fatalities on Friday

New coronavirus cases in Michigan dipped below 6,000 Friday but remain stubbornly high, driven by surging numbers in southeast Michigan.

The state health department announced 5,498 new confirmed cases and 20 deaths, bringing the state’s total to 683,793 cases and 16,161 deaths since the pandemic began more than a year ago.

Of the new daily totals, 43.2% of the cases were in Detroit plus Oakland, Wayne and Macomb counties, and 60% of the deaths.

There were 780 cases and one death in Macomb County, 708 cases in Oakland County, 571 cases and four deaths in Wayne County, and 317 cases and seven deaths in Detroit.

People also died from the virus in Kent, Ottawa, Monroe, Livingston, Lenawee, and Ingham counties.

The number of cases have been spiking higher in more populated areas of the state, even as more and more people acquire vaccines against the deadly virus.

There were 314 cases and three deaths in Kent County, 222 cases in St. Clair County, 182 cases and two deaths in Ottawa County, 169 cases in Genesee County, and 149 cases in Washtenaw County.

Parts of mid-Michigan also saw higher numbers. There were 57 cases in Isabella County along with eight cases in Clare County and nine in Gratiot County.

Five of the state’s 83 counties had no new cases or deaths.

Vaccination rates of people age 16 and older continue rise. Health providers have inoculated 2,853,278 people or 35.2%, including 38.38% in Oakland County, 37.62% in Wayne County, 31.51% in Macomb County, and 19.91% in Detroit.

The highest vaccination rates are in the more rural counties in the Upper Peninsula or northern Lower Peninsula, topping 50% in Presque Isle County and above 40% in a few other counties.