Isabella outbreak still the nation’s fastest growing

For the sixth consecutive day, the Mt. Pleasant-area COVID-19 outbreak is the nation’s fastest growing. One thing that has changed is that it continues to climb up the list of worst ongoing outbreaks.

It now has the nation’s sixth-worst ongoing outbreak, according to New York Times COVID-19 data.

The Times based their data for the fastestgrowing outbreaks over the last two weeks, weighting the raw numbers for population. The Mt. Pleasant area has had a sevenday average of 71.4 cases per 100,000 people for the last two weeks, according to that data. The rate of increase, per 100,000 people, is 240 from last week to this one.

The Mt. Pleasant-area outbreak has been the fastest growing now for six straight days. Michigan communities occupy six of their top 10 growing outbreaks.

During that time, the outbreak has crept up the list towards the worst overall outbreak in the nation. When Mt. Pleasant first appeared as one of the fastest-growing outbreaks, it hadn’t cracked the top 20 worst ones.

It is now sixth.

Since Thursday, an additional 187 confirmed cases have been reported in Isabella County, a 46.75 case-per-day average over that time. That brings the county’s cumulative total to 4,415. With one new death reported over the weekend, Isabella County’s death toll has risen to 78.

About a third of that is likely due to cases at Central Michigan University, which has reported 100 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the last seven

days, an average of 14.25.

Clare County has had an additional 89 cases and one death reported in it since Thursday. It’s cumulative total number of confirmed cases has increased to 1,667, with 69 deaths.

An additional 60 cases were reported in Gratiot County since Thursday, bringing its cumulative total to 2,728, with 102 deaths.

Since Thursday, elsewhere in mid-michigan, three new deaths were reported, with new and cumulative cases and deaths as follows from over the weekend:

• In Gladwin County, an additional 86 new confirmed

cases were reported for a cumulative total of 1,592, with 40 deaths.

• In Mecosta County, one death was reported for a total of 25, and an additional 96 cases were reported for a cumulative total of 2,469.

• In Midland County, one death was reported for a total of 69, with an additional 221 new cases for a cumulative total of 5,585.

• In Montcalm County, one death was reported for a total of 91, and an additional 102 cases were reported for a cumulative total of 4,180.

Since Thursday, statewide, 112 new deaths were reported for a total of 16,512 and another 24,400 cases were reported for a cumulative total of 747,697. Of those deaths, 57 were discovered after a review of death certificates.