Coronavirus testing in Detroit (Photo: Detroit Health Department)
A day after the Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered bars closed for indoor service throughout much of the Michigan, authorities Thursday reported 543 new coronavrus cases over 24 hours.
It's the highest number since May 29 when 607 cases were reported, Fox 2 reports.
To date, Michigan has recorded 64,675 case and 5,966 deaths.
The Upper Penninsula and part of northern Michigan are exempt from Whitmer's order closing indoor service for bars.
But bars have become a hotspot fo the spread, particularly among younger people.
“We owe it to our front-line heroes who have sacrificed so much during this crisis to do everything we can to slow the spread of Covid-19 and reduce the chance of a resurgence like we are seeing in other states,” Whitmer said in a release on Wednesday, citing the outbreak from Harper's in East Lansing and clusters linked to bars in other states. "If we want to be in a strong position to reopen schools for in-person classroom instruction this fall, then we need to take aggressive action right now to ensure we don’t wipe out all the progress we have made."
As of Wednesday afternoon, at least 133 people had been infected by the outbreak stemming from Harper's, a popular spot in downtown East Lansing, near the Michigan State University campus.
The website, Covid ActNow, ranks Michigan in the "medium risk" category.
"Covid in Michigan is spreading in a slow and controlled fashion, and Michigan’s COVID preparedness meets international standards," the site says. " If this trend continues, Michigan may eventually achieve herd immunity, though this may take years."
