Coronavirus in Michigan: Day Eight

Updated: Thursday, March 19, 4:30  p.m.

THURSDAY, March 19 — Two more people died yesterday in Michigan from the coronavirus, bringing the total to three, according to media reports. 

Two deaths have reportedly occurred in Wayne County, one a man in his 50s with underlying medical conditions who died at Beaumont Dearborn, Fox2 reported, which also said the victim was a Southgate resident. 

A second victim was a woman also in her 50s with underlying medical conditions who died at Oakland McLaren. 

Fox2 reported the third was an 84-year-old man at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. 

State officials reported yesterday there have been at least 336 cases of coronavirus in the state, including six in Ingham County. 

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s executive order to shutter schools, restaurants, bars and other entertainment venues — all aimed at mitigating the spread of the disease — remains in full effect until at least the end of the month. As a result, thousands of employees are either temporarily out of a job or have been asked to work from home. 

Whitmer continued to file executive orders yesterday aimed at preventing the spread of the disease this week, including extending deadlines for residents to pay back taxes and avoid foreclosure from March 31 to May 29 or 30 days after the state of emergency has been lifted, whichever comes first, reports the Detroit Free Press. 

Whitmer also signed two more executive orders yesterday. One temporarily authorized public meetings — like for school boards — to be held remotely. The other expands child care services for health care workers and allows employers and school facilities to operate disaster relief child care centers for their employees.

She also called on at least 11 members of the National Guard yesterday to help the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services assemble and load protective gear at a warehouse in mid-Michigan, reports the Free Press. Additionally, Whitmer is also looking to ramp up production of medical gowns and other essential equipment. 

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announced yesterday that she is actively exploring alternatives — like mail-in ballots — to in-person voting for the upcoming May election to help curb the spread of the virus, if necessary. 

Michigan legislators approved $125 million in supplemental funding Tuesday, Crain’s Detroit Business reports. 

Whitmer also hasn’t ruled out additional bans, telling MLive on Tuesday that her administration is “having discussion” over “whether or not we need to promulgate an additional order on that front.” 

Supplies remain limited at stores across the state, and Michigan Attorney Dana Nessel is aggressively pursuing companies accused of price-gouging amid a global pandemic. Menards received a cease-and-desist letter on Tuesday after investigators found evidence of its stores hiking prices on bleach and face masks, MLive reports. 

State officials also released an interactive map on Wednesday showing where free meals for children are available across the state during ongoing school closures. MLive has also compiled a comprehensive listing online. 

Amid an ongoing Twitter feud over governmental leadership between Whitmer and President Donald Trump, financial markets have slumped nationally and economists at Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Morgan Stanley have declared a recession, reports Crain’s Detroit Business. The S&P 500 is down 30 percent since Feb. 18 

The U.S. and Canada agreed to temporarily close their shared border to nonessential travel while U.S. officials consider a plan to turn back those who cross the border illegally from Mexico, reports Crain’s Detroit Business. 

General Motors and Ford Motor Co. closed all North American manufacturing sites until March 30. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles also is expected to close its North American plants, reports Crain’s Detroit Business. Those closures will include the two GM plants and stamping operations in Lansing, but company officials would not discuss “the exact cadence of the production suspension,” the Lansing State Journal reports. 

The Lansing Entertainment and Public Facilities Authority projects revenue from the Lansing Center will fall by $1.5 million between March 10, when Whitmer declared a state of emergency, and the start of May, the Lansing State Journal reports. Canceled events, obviously, could carry an added ripple effect on the economy. 

The Capital Area Transportation Authority has closed its downtown Lansing transportation center, administration building and the Capital Area Multimodal Gateway, officials announced yesterday. Fares have been eliminated on buses, but riders are asked only to board for “essential” trips. Additionally, passengers have been asked to board CATA buses from the rear door and maintain “appropriate” distance from their bus driver. 

The East Lansing Police Department made no arrests on Tuesday, marking the quietest St. Patrick’s Day in Michigan State University history, reports Michigan Advance. Most neighborhoods have seen a decreased population as many students move away from campus to complete online classes for the rest of the semester.

Coronavirus could have a significant impact on local census counts as tens of thousands of students return home and are potentially counted in their hometowns instead of East Lansing, reports East Lansing Info.

Barry-Eaton County Health Department officials yesterday announced that an 88-year-old woman in Eaton County had tested positive for COVID-19 — the first case in the county, reports the Lansing State Journal. 

State unemployment lobbies also closed their doors yesterday, except for customers with scheduled appointments. The state is asking residents to file online or by phone at michigan.gov/UIA or at 866-500-0017. 

The Mackinac Bridge will no longer accept cash for those wanting to cross into the Upper Peninsula beginning Saturday, reports the Detroit Free Press. Customers will need to pay with a credit or debit card or use a MacPass. 

Hospitals continue to face challenges as more patients become sick. Testing facilities in Southeast Michigan were being overrun yesterday as at least one doctor pleaded with younger, healthy individuals to not show up to the emergency room seeking to get tested for the coronavirus, reports Crain’s Detroit Business.  

"There's a very good chance that many of you may have COVID-19, frankly. And testing you is not going to necessarily make a difference with regard to how we treat you,” Nick Gilpin, Beaumont's medical director of infection prevention and epidemiology told Crain’s Detroit Business. 

People who attended a recent Sandi Patty concert at Andrews University in Berrien Springs may have been exposed to coronavirus, according to the Berrien County Health Department and reports from MLive. 

And a moment of silence for news: The Metro Times reported eight temporary layoffs yesterday from nearly every department in the company as the dearth of events in Detroit gutted weekly ad revenues for the paper.