Michigan Adds 2,157 New Coronavirus Cases, 17 More Deaths
MICHIGAN — Michigan has added 2,157 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 17 more deaths attributed to the coronavirus, state health officials reported Friday.
Friday's updated figures bring the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Michigan to 546,468. Meanwhile, the state's coronavirus death toll sits at 14,070 after surpassing the 14,000 mark on Thursday.
Michigan added 2,165 new cases of the coronavirus Thursday, while also reporting 148 COVID-19 deaths. More than 442,000 people in Michigan have recovered from the coronavirus, state health officials reported on Saturday.
Friday's coronavirus update comes on the heels of the resignation of Michigan's top health official, who was at the forefront of the state's dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Director Robert Gordon announced Friday in a social media post that he was resigning from his position with the administration of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Gordon did not say why he was resigning in the short post.
"It's been an honor to serve alongside wonderful colleagues," he said. "I look forward to the next chapter."
Gordon's resignation comes the day the state announced a new MDHHS executive orderallowing indoor dining at restaurants across the state to resume beginning on Feb. 1.
Restaurants and bars will be allowed to reopen at 25 percent capacity with up to 100 people, according to the executive order. Tables must be 6 feet apart with no more than six people per table. Outdoor tents with four sides are permitted under these same rules, officials said. Bars and restaurants must close by 10 p.m.
Meanwhile, the state appears to now be dealing with a new variant of the coronavirus after three cases of B.1.1.7 were confirmed in the southeast part of the state.
Two women living in Washtenaw County have been diagnosed with the COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7, officials said. The two women were in close contact with another woman who was the first known person to have contracted the coronavirus variant in Michigan, according to health officials.
"We are watching this situation as closely as possible," said Juan Luis Marquez, a medical director with the Washtenaw County Health Department. "And we ask everyone to continue to do everything they can to prevent transmission – mask, distance, avoid crowds or gatherings, clean your hands frequently, and follow isolation or quarantine guidance carefully."
This article originally appeared on the Detroit Patch
