Governor Gretchen Whitmer is extending Michigan’s Safer at Home order until June 12. She’s also extending the state of emergency declaration until June 19.
The governor made the announcement as part of a late afternoon flurry of announcements on Friday related to the COVID-19 pandemic and flooding orders.
“While the data shows that we are making progress, we are not out of the woods yet,” Whitmer said in a written statement. “If we’re going to lower the chance of a second wave and continue to protect our neighbors and loved ones from the spread of this virus, we must continue to do our part by staying safer at home.”
Data released by state health officials on Friday showed the rate of new positive cases and deaths continued to slow.
The state announced only 29 new confirmed deaths of COVID-19 on Friday, bringing the state’s overall total to 5,158. The number of positive cases rose by 403, to 53,913.
But Whitmer says case numbers in some counties in west and mid-Michigan are now doubling approximately every 10 days.
In her press release, Whitmer cited a decision this week by a Court of Claims judge that the governor can continue her emergency declarations without legislative approval.
On Friday, the governor also extended the temporary closure of certain places of public accommodation such as theaters, gyms, and casinos. The move comes as restrictions on many businesses in the Upper Peninsula and parts of northern Michigan have been loosened ahead of the Memorial Day holiday weekend.
Meanwhile, Michigan prison officials say every state inmate has now been tested for COVID-19.
Over two weeks, Corrections Department officials tested more than 38,130 inmates. 3,275 have tested positive. 18,316 have tested negative. 16,551 are awaiting test results.
60 inmates in Michigan prisons have died of the disease.
