1/28/21: Infections, deaths continue to decline

Michigan: The number of people contracting COVID-19 continues to decline in Michigan. So does the number of people dying from the virus.

State health officials reported 1,872 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday. That brought the seven day moving average down to 1,685 new cases per day.

The state also reported 80 new deaths, with 67 coming from a review of previous death records. The seven day moving average dropped nearly ten to 62.57 deaths per day.

Hospitalizations also continue to decline. On Thursday, 1,536 people were being treated for the coronavirus in hospitals in Michigan. That’s 58 fewer than on Wednesday. The state’s COVID hospitalization numbers have been mostly declining for nearly two months.

Kalamazoo County: While new deaths declined on Thursday, the average number of new infections actually increased.

County health officials reported 60 new cases of the coronavirus on Thursday. The average rose a little bit to 41 new cases per day over the past week.

At the same time, the county reported three new deaths from the virus. However, the average moved downward to 2.29 deaths per day over the past week.

Hospitalizations in Kalamazoo County seem to be declining, though capacity rates at the county’s two hospitals continue to be high.

On Thursday, Bronson Methodist Hospital reported 14 patients being treated for COVID-19 – nine fewer than on Wednesday. However, the hospital is still operating at 93% capacity.

Ascension Borgess Hospital reported 22 COVID-19 patients on Thursday – slightly higher than its number earlier in the week. It is still operating at 83% capacity.

Vaccines: Vaccinations are still picking up speed in Michigan and in Kalamazoo County.

On Wednesday, the state reported that 694,190 people have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine since vaccinations began in early December. More than 158,000 people have received both doses.

The state is averaging more than 34,000 inoculations per day as of Wednesday, which is still far short of the 50,000 per day state officials are hoping to reach.

In Kalamazoo County, 20,695 people have received at least the first shot of the vaccine, with 6,199 people having received both.