1/4/21: New infections and deaths edging upward

Michigan: State health officials reported 4,992 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday and Monday. That led to a slight increase of the state’s seven day moving average of new infections. The state is averaging 3,087 new cases per day, compared to about 2,400 a week ago.

The state also reported 80 new deaths from the coronavirus on Monday. The state is averaging about 84 deaths per day. That’s much less than the 117 deaths per day reported almost a month ago, but it’s an increase over recent averages.

Kalamazoo County: Kalamazoo County hasn’t reported new coronavirus numbers since December 30.

Hospitalizations: Hospitalization numbers continue to decline in Michigan, while remaining steady in Kalamazoo County.

The state reported 2,698 people being treated for COVID-19 in Michigan hospitals on Monday. That’s 60 fewer than before the New Year’s Eve holiday.

Meanwhile, Kalamazoo County’s coronavirus patient census is very similar to what it’s been over the past couple weeks.

Bronson Methodist Hospital reported 39 COVID-19 patients on Monday, putting it at 98% capacity. Ascension Borgess Hospital reported 38 COVID-19 patients, putting it at 86% capacity.

Vaccinations: More than 128,000 people in Michigan have been inoculated against the coronavirus as of Sunday. While it sounds like a large number, Michigan is lagging well behind most other states in terms of the percent of people who have been vaccinated.

Part of the problem has to do with getting supplies of the vaccines to where they need to be. But there are also signs that many people eligible to receive the vaccines are turning them down.

As of Sunday, 5,817 had been vaccinated in Kalamazoo County, though more than 13,000 doses have been delivered.