This is the worst day so far in the COVID-19 pandemic in Michigan.
New state data shows the number of deaths increased by 52 to 184. And for the first time, more than 1,000 people tested positive for coronavirus in a 24-hour period. Michigan’s total number of coronavirus positive cases is now 6,498.
Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter says we must brace for more bad numbers this week.
“My fear is that people get dejected. They feel like it’s not working and they want to give up,” says Coulter. “We’re going to continue to see these numbers rise and it could feel like our efforts are not working.”
But Coulter points out the people testing positive today were likely infected more than 10 days ago, before Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued her Stay Home order.
Detroit remains the epicenter of the outbreak in Michigan with more than 1,800 cases and 52 deaths since the outbreak began.
But Mayor Mike Duggan is striking a positive note.
“It seems like for the last two weeks we have been catching up and chasing strategies,” Duggan told reporters this afternoon. “I feel like today for the first time, we are really starting to get ahead of some of the problems.”
The mayor says Detroit is finally getting to the level of coronavirus testing a major city should be doing.
Duggan says a mobile testing site at the old State Fairgrounds tested 660 people today. Hundreds of more tests are expected at the site this week.
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