The state added another 61,235 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 over the New Year weekend, which nearly matched the record for the daily case average set last week.
The state averaged 12,247 cases per day from Thursday to Monday, compared to an average of 12,929 for the middle of last week. Both numbers are well above the daily averages for any other time during the pandemic.
The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 also rose on Monday. The state says 3,903 adults and 96 children were in the hospital with the virus. Those numbers are up about seven percent since the last update.
A spokesperson for the Michigan Health & Hospital Association said Monday that the state’s hospitals are still under “incredible strain” trying to treat a near-record high number of COVID patients.
“We expect omicron to lead to more hospitalizations in the coming days,” said Ruthanne Sudderth, the senior vice president for public affairs and communications at the MHA. “We urge all residents to get vaccinated and get their booster dose immediately, and to wear a high-quality mask in indoor public places. These are proven to be incredibly effective ways to stay out of the hospital and stay healthy.”
As the state hit a record number of COVID-19 hospitalizations in December, it also recorded one of the deadliest months of the pandemic so far. Preliminary data from the state show more than 2,000 people died from complications of COVID-19 in December alone. It was the deadliest month of 2021, and some deaths may not have been counted in the official numbers yet.
Since the start of the pandemic, a total of 27,286 people have died as a result of COVID-19 in Michigan, as of Monday.
