A new stanza in the daily dirge adds 80 Michigan deaths from the lung virus pandemic.
Another 1,457 patients are diagnosed in the past day, about 260 fewer than were newly confirmed statewide Wednesday.
(Graphic: Michigan Department of Health and Human Services)
Detroit added 592 cases in the last 24 hours. Another 556 new diagnoses are from other parts of Wayne County. Deaths in the three-county region rose by 143 since Wednesday.
The statewide number of COVID-19 diagnoses now is 10,791 and fatalities total 417.
Not everyone in the total cases count is hospitalized or still sick. It’s a cumulative tally since the third week of March and doesn’t reflect recoveries and hospital discharges – figures not given (or compiled, perhaps) by the Department of Health and Human Services.
Here’s more context for balance: 29,324 people have been tested so far for coronavirus, the state says. Results came back positive for 24.4% of them (7,158).
Wednesday’s overall tally includes 8,584 patients from the three-county Detroit area (79.5% of the total). The metro area has at least 371 deaths (89%) from the lung infection caused by coronavirus.
Confirmed cases statewide have risen 15.6% since Wednesday, a lower rate of increase that the previous day's 22.5%.
Detroit has about 2,860 cases of the lung infection and at least 101 deaths, according to the state.
Here are confirmed virus cases and deaths in suburban counties since counting began last month:
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Oakland: 2,183 cases | 119 deaths
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Wayne: 2,211 cases | 93 deaths
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Macomb: 1,332 cases | 58 deaths
Jason Hargrove, who died this week, posted this Facebook photo of himself March 20.
One of the new Detroit facatlities is Jason Hargrove, a 50-year-old city bus driver, according to Fox 2 and WXYZ. He went live on Facebook two weeks ago to complain about a coughing bus rider, which may be unrelated to his later COVID-19 diagnosis.
Drivers union president Glenn Tolbert tells WXYZ that seven other drivers have tested positive for coronavirus.
For the first time, the state health agency Thursday posts demographic information showing patients by race and ethnicity (as well as age and gender, which had been included):
(Tables: Michigan Department of Health and Social Services)
School's out for summer
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed an expected order to close schools for the rest of the academic year. It leaves a lot of decisions up to districts, like how to continue to teach kids while they're home and how to advance students to the next grade. More details here.
Detroit's public school district, for its part, says it will on April 14 move to a learning platform that builds on current at-home education activities, like printouts and videos for students who can access them.
“All of our school level staff will have specific roles and responsibilities to engage students and families during the closure through phone calls and the virtual platform of “Teams,” Superintendent Nikolai Vitti wrote in a statement
Vitti says he's also working with possibile business partners to “implement a strategy to provide all Detroit Public Schools Community District families with a tablet and internet access.” The goal is to have that available in May.
Formal grades will not be issued for assignments. The district is still developing a plan to let high school seniors graduate and younger students to make it to the next grade.
Jobless claims surge, again
More than 300,000 Michigan residents filed claims for unemployment compensation last week, following an expansion of benefits due to extraordinary circumstances caused by coronavirus.
A reported 311,086 people filed for unemployment benefits that week as of Saturday, according to the Associated Press. The figure is more than double the 128,006 who filed in Michigan the week before.
The largest number of claims were filed in some of the state's most populated counties: Wayne, Macomb, Oakland and Kent counties.
Wayne County reported 71,057 claims; Macomb, 48,511; Oakland, 43,479; and Kent 23,800, according to state data.
More time for emergency edicts
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer wants 70 more days to exert emergency powers within the state, which she has not declared a disaster area.
But the legislature, dominated by Republicans, say that's too many. The Detroit News reports:
Whitmer’s state of disaster declaration paired with the state of emergency authorizes the state police and emergency management to “maximize all state efforts” to assist local governments in responding to the coronavirus pandemic.
The declaration will remain in place until “disaster conditions no longer exist.”
... (Senate Majority Leader Mike) Shirkey said he supports an extension of the emergency declaration, but said "a 70-day extension is too long" and that the Legislature would "pursue a reasonable extension."
Turn it on, and keep it on
A group of doctors and activists are calling on Gov. Whitmer to not only turn on shut-off water service to those who haven't been able to pay their bills, but for water to be kept on after the coronavirus crisis passes.
Freshwater Future and We The People of Detroit, two activist groups that have been leading the fight against water shutoffs, held a media teleconference Wednesday morning to discuss the order. Medical professionals from Michigan and other states also spoke on the call about the importance of access to clean water.
Monica Lewis-Patrick, president and CEO of We The People of Detroit, said that the group is “very thankful” to Whitmer for the executive order, but added that local governments must be held accountable for acting with integrity and making sure local water service providers follow Whitmer’s list of requirements.
Symbols of downtown rebirth go dark
Downtown Detroit's hotels, large and small, were among the first businesses to signal that the central business district was ready to thrive again. Now, with travel sharply reduced, restaurants closed and staffs ordered to shelterat home, many are closed, at least temporarily.
The Detroit News reports the Westin Book Cadillac, Foundation and Shinola hotels have all gone dark:
Meetings and conventions that would infused $151 million into the city were canceled for the five-week window through April 15, according to the Detroit Metro and Convention and Visitors Bureau. A quarter to a third of the hotels and restaurants in the state will never reopen, the Michigan Lodging and Restaurant Association estimates.
"The industry is in the process of being completely decimated," said Justin Winslow, president and CEO of that hospitality trade group. "I don’t think that’s a total surprise when you consider travel has grinded to a halt."
...Hotels are allowed to stay open in a limited capacity to provide shelter under Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's stay-at-home order effective through April 13, but many have closed their doors because of widespread vacancies and to protect employees.
'Low-risk' prisoners may be released
In an effort to stem or slow the spread of coronavirus in prison settings, Gov. Whitmer is considering releasing "low-risk and/or vulnerable prisoners," mainly those who are elderly or in poor health.
The Detroit Free Press reports:
(Whitmer) said she is working with Heidi Washington, the director of the Michigan Department of Corrections, "to make sure that we've got a thoughtful process that doesn't compromise public safety and recognizes the unique challenges we have because of COVID-19.”
As of Monday morning, the department reported at least 79 state prisoners, one parolee and 14 employees had tested positive for the coronavirus. Of particular concern were Macomb Correctional Facility, with 27 cases, and Parnall Correctional Facility, with 29.
Several prisoner advocacy groups have called on Whitmer to use her existing clemency powers, or her other executive powers — which are significant during an emergency — to grant early release to low-risk and/or vulnerable prisoners who are elderly or in poor health.
'That woman from Michigan' on 'The Daily Social Distancing Show'
(Photo: Twitter/Zack Pohl)
Criticism from President Trump has made Whitmer something of a pop-culture star. She has raised her profile more with appearances on Sunday news shows and, yesterday, on Comedy Central's "The Daily Show," rechristened "The Daily Social Distancing Show."
Wearing a T-shirt emblazoned THAT WOMAN FROM MICHIGAN, Whitmer was interviewed by host Trevor Noah. She repeated her current talking points, about the need for PPE for health-care workers, for volunteers, and for increased help from the federal government.
Noah noted her shirt, and asked if it was difficult to deal with politics on top of everything else.
"I don't think any of us has energy to deal with politics right now," Whitmer replied. Watch the interview below:
Lottery sales aren't essential
Who knew, right?
(Photo: Facebook/Abdullah Hammoud)
The Michigan Lottery bureau tells ticket sellers: "You are not required to sell lottery products" during the deadly health crisis.
An electronic message printed automatically Wednesday from the state's roughly 11,000 sales terminals advises retailers to "immediately cease lottery sales and ... deactivate equipment if you are unable to implement social distancing measures and follow all requirements of the stay home, stay safe order."
