Michigan confirms 71 new COVID-19 outbreaks in schools – The News Herald



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Michigan public health officials reported 71 new outbreaks of COVID-19 in schools on Monday, involving 344 confirmed cases.

According to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), 6,093 additional cases of COVID-19 and 29 deaths from the virus. These totals represent test data collected from Saturday to Monday. MDHHS publishes new case, death, and vaccination numbers every Monday, Wednesday and Friday with new epidemic-related data published every Monday.

Of the 29 reported deaths, 9 were identified during a review of vital records. Over the past three days, the state has recorded an average of 2,031 cases per day, compared to 3,047 cases per day from September 9 to 10, a drop of 33.3%. The three-day total of cases brought the total number of confirmed cases and deaths in the state to 976,505 and 20,535 since the start of the pandemic.

Of the 71 new school virus outbreaks, three occurred in Oakland County involving 12 cases and three in Gratiot and Isabella counties involving 7 cases.

22 of the outbreaks were from preschools or elementary schools involving 70 cases while 30 of the outbreaks were from high schools involving 180 cases. The remaining outbreaks have emerged in colleges, colleges and universities involving 94 cases in total, including the largest outbreak of all at Northwood University in Midland which involves 25 cases.

In addition to the new outbreaks, there are over 40 ongoing viral outbreaks in Michigan schools. This includes an outbreak at the University of Michigan’s Ann Arbor campus involving 283 cases.

Over 60% of Michigan public school students – 757,904 students – in 229 public school districts are currently required to wear face masks by order of the local health department in Kalamazoo, Allegan, Genesee, Kent, Ottawa, Oakland, Wayne , Benzie-Leelanau, Northwestern Michigan Department of Health, Ingham, Washtenaw, and Berrien.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer last week reiterated her support for local health departments and school districts requiring indoor face masks for teachers, students and other school staff.

The MDHHS recently announced new quarantine guidelines for asymptomatic students, both unvaccinated and vaccinated, with the goal of allowing more children to stay in school. The guidelines describe how, even if exposed to the virus, some students would be allowed to stay in school when evidence-based prevention measures, including universal masking, are in place.

As of Monday, most of the state’s 144 new virus outbreaks were concentrated in K-12 schools (77 new outbreaks) and long-term care facilities (21 new outbreaks). Currently, there are 312 ongoing virus outbreaks across the state.

Over the past 7 days, Oakland County has recorded an average of 145.12 cases per day per 100,000 population, an increase of 1.33% from the previous 7 days, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Wayne County’s 7-day average case rate is 228.17 cases per day per 100,000 population, an increase of 11.04% from the previous 7 days, while the 7-day case rate of Macomb County declined 1% to 159.04 cases per day per 100,000 population.

The state’s COVID-19 case and test positivity rates continue to remain high due to the spread of the Delta variant. Statewide, more than 1,400 Michiganders are hospitalized with COVID-19, the majority in Southeast Michigan, with more than 80% of the state’s hospital beds occupied.

In Oakland County, hospitals have seen a 45.86% increase in the past 7 days in new COVID admissions from the previous 7 days, according to the CDC. In Kent County, hospitals recorded a 15.46% increase in new COVID admissions in the previous 7 days.

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