Coronavirus in Michigan: Day 37 

Greater Lansing tracks another 20 coronavirus cases

Michigan tallies 30,000 COVID-19 cases, 2,200 deaths statewide

Posted

(This story was updated at 4:35 p.m.)

FRIDAY, April 17 — Greater Lansing tracked more than 20 new cases of COVID-19 today, bringing up the regional total to at least 488 confirmed cases with at least 17 related deaths.

Across Michigan, at least another 760 confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported this afternoon, along with 134 more related deaths as the state remains on virus-induced lockdown.

Newly reported fatality rates from the state show the Lansing region is comparatively better off than much of the rest of the state. Statewide, the fatality rate is 7.4%. In Eaton and Clinton counties, it’s less than 6%. In Ingham County, only 2% of confirmed cases resulted in a death. 

Here are the latest case and death statistics across Greater Lansing, Michigan and the country:               

Ingham County               

Cases — 298

Recoveries — 85     

Deaths — 6 

Fatality Rate — 2%      

Most Ingham County cases, 51-55 of them, were tracked in Lansing in zip code 48911. Much of the rest of southwest Lansing, Mason, East Lansing, Meridian and Bath townships tallied 26-40 cases in zip codes 48910, 48823, 48854 and 48864. Zip codes 48912, 48842 and 48906 tracked between 16-20 cases. Zip code 488915 tracked 11-15 cases. Zip codes 48840, 48895, 48917, 48819, 48827, 28892, 48909, 48933, 49251, 49264 and 49285 tracked 10 cases or less.    

Eaton County               

Cases — 87 

Recoveries — 51     

Deaths — 5        

Fatality Rate — 5.7%    

Clinton County               

Cases — 103

Deaths — 6   

Fatality Rate — 5.8%               

Officials at the Mid-Michigan County Health Department do not report recovery statistics.  

Four residents at Gunnisonville Meadows Senior Assisted Living in Dewitt have died from the COVID-19, with 17 residents and two staff members also testing positive for the virus, health department officials reported this week. Those with the virus or symptoms are in self-quarantine. 

Michigan               

Cases — 30,023 (+2.6%)             

Deaths — 2,227 (+6.4%)       

Fatality Rate — 7.4% 

Recoveries — 433 (as of 4/10/20

According to state reports, about 78% of cases (and about 83% of those dead) are from Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties, including the city of Detroit. Data also shows African Americans accounted for 33% of cases and 40% of deaths. Caucasians accounted for 29% of cases and 41% of deaths; those of unknown race charted 27% of cases and 13% of deaths.       

At least 515 cases and 15 deaths are among Michigan Department of Corrections inmates.         

U.S.             

Cases — 681,727  

Deaths — 31,647 

Fatality Rate — 4.6%

Source: The New York Times            

Michigan is the state with the fourth most confirmed cases in the country, behind New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts. Michigan also reports the third most virus deaths in the U.S.     

In Lansing …  

This week’s rally caused delays for nurses and doctors at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing, with some workers delayed in making their shifts, prompting other employees to stay longer after shift change, reports the Detroit News. Otherwise, the main campus was reportedly accessible.  

The Lansing State Journal reports there were otherwise no major delays across the city. 

Still, hundreds of demonstrators left their cars, refused to socially distance and clearly violated state orders. In response, Lansing Mayor Andy Schor announced today that additional precautions will be taken for future demonstrations. Read more about the plan from City Pulse

Sparrow Hospital is moving its collection site for donations of medical supplies to its Medical Arts Building, 1322 E. Michigan Ave. after receiving more than 250,000 items from the community, including more than 171,000 non-latex gloves, 64,000 regular and N95 masks. 

Beginning Monday, April 20, donations will be collected at the building’s west entrance, weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sparrow Eaton Hospital is also open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

Sparrow Eaton is adjusting hours at its testing site, beginning Tuesday, April 21, to 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. Donations can be dropped off on the east side of Sparrow Clinton hospital. 

Leadership from McLaren Health Management Group hosted a “PPE pit stop” at its Lansing office yesterday where clinicians could sanitize their tablets, phones, PPE and badged by UV light, restock supplies and talk about questions and concerns regarding the COVID-19 outbreak. 

The Lansing Economic Area Partnership forwarded 20 small business relief loan applications yesterday to the Michigan Economic Development Corp. for consideration. In total, LEAP had reviewed 208 applications for a combined request of $16.94 million in the process. 

The funding will eventually be distributed to small businesses in the three-county region with fewer than 100 employees, founded and owned locally in the region with gross revenue at or less than $1.5 million in 2019, along with other criteria established by MEDC and LEAP. 

The Country Club of Greater Lansing is again allowing its members to play on its course along Moores River Drive after a brief shutdown. And that’s despite guidance today from the state’s top law enforcement official that said otherwise. Read more coverage from City Pulse

MSU President Samuel Stanley Jr. and all university executives will take pay cuts in the wake of the financial strain that COVID-19 has made on the campus, reports the Lansing State Journal. The reduced pay is expected to continue through May, June or possibly the end of the year.  

Across Michigan…  

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer yesterday joined governors in Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois and Kentucky in announcing they will work in close coordination to reopen the Midwest economy. The goal: Work with experts on a fact-based, data-driven approach to getting back to work. 

Officials said four main factors will play a determining factor: Sustained control of the rate of new infections and hospitalizations; enhanced ability to test and trace; sufficient health care capacity to handle resurgence; and best practices for social distancing in the workplace.  

“This doesn’t mean our economy will reopen all at once, or that every state will take the same steps at the same time. But close coordination will ensure we get this right,” officials announced. 

Meanwhile, the Senate Republican caucus presented Whitmer with a five-phase plan to jumpstart the economy, including a first phase where businesses can reopen if they maintain social distancing and can provide personal protective equipment to staff, reports the Free Press. It also calls for residents to wear masks while performing essential tasks like grocery shopping. 

Lawmakers have also introduced bills that would strip powers away from the governor and prevent her from tightening stay-at-home restrictions, the Detroit Free Press reports. Whitmer has the authority to veto those measures and will likely do so if they’re passed.  

Whitmer also joined governors in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania yesterday in requesting that President Donald Trump work quickly with Congress to support additional resources for all states and localities so that they can address budgetary shortfalls from the ongoing pandemic.  

In Michigan, initial estimates suggest state revenues could be reduced by $3 billion alone this year and $7 billion over the next 18 months due to measures taken to halt the spread of the virus — like social distancing, closing nonessential businesses and the related loss of jobs.   

The Detroit Free Press reports that nearly 22 million workers nationwide, including more than a million in Michigan, have sought unemployment benefits since the pandemic struck last month. 

MEDC announced yesterday a new $3 million Tech Startup Stabilization Fund to help early-stage tech startups that have been impacted by the pandemic. The plan: Provide them direct investments or loans ranging from $20,000 to $100,000. Details are available here.  

Attorney General Dana Nessel sent a cease-and-desist letter to the Jeffersonian Apartments, an iconic building in Detroit that had allegedly been threatening to illegally evict nearly 80 tenants. Many of them were elderly and behind on their rent, officials said in a recent press release. 

“The fact that a landlord would threaten to kick out tenants — especially senior citizens — during this situation shows not only a disregard for the laws governing this state during the COVID-19 crisis, but a lack of compassion for our fellow Michiganders,” Nessel added. 

Housing advocates have since called on Whitmer to extend and expand the statewide eviction ban that is set to expire on Friday, according to recent reports published in the Detroit News.  

Nessel also issued subpoenas yesterday in its investigation of a Muskegon business — EM General LLC — that had been reportedly accepting payment for face masks but failing to provide consumers with the products, which have become highly sought amid the pandemic. 

More than 1,500 homes in Michigan have had water service reconnected or avoided planned shut-offs as a result of Whitmer’s executive order that requires water supplies to restore service. 

The latest information is posted at michigan.gov/coronavirus and cdc.gov/coronavirus.               

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