3/25/21: Michigan reports highest new COVID cases this year

Michigan: State health officials reported 4,454 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, marking the largest one-day total of new infections this year.

That pushed the seven day average to 3,122 new infections per day, which is the highest it’s been since January 9, when the state was dealing with rising infection rates following the Christmas and New Year holidays.

The state’s average positivity rate passed 9% on Tuesday. Out of the COVID-19 tests conducted that day, 11.3% returned positive results. The positivity rate has been climbing since mid-February.

Hospitalizations continued to rise on Wednesday as well. The state reported 1,751 people being treated for COVID-19 – 64 more than the day before. Hospitalizations have nearly doubled since the beginning of March.

The only measure not rising dramatically is Michigan’s COVID death numbers. On Wednesday, the state reported 16 new deaths from the coronavirus. That caused the week average to rise slightly – to almost 18 deaths per day. That’s far lower than would be expected without the state’s vaccination efforts.

Kalamazoo County: New infections are rising swiftly in the county. On Wednesday, county officials reported 141 new cases of the coronavirus. That’s the highest single day total in the county this year. It pushed the seven day average to nearly 75 new cases per day.

County officials also reported one new death from the coronavirus on Wednesday. Just four people have died from COVID-19 in Kalamazoo County this month – a dramatic reduction from previous months.

Meanwhile, the county’s average positivity rate passed 10% on Tuesday. Out of 852 COVID-19 tests conducted that day, 14.6% returned positive results – the highest number this year.

Vaccines: Nearly 35% of Kalamazoo County adults have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine. County vaccination efforts have been ramping up for weeks, with facilities inoculating more than 2,500 people each day.

Efforts in Michigan are increasing as well. More than 71,000 people have received shots each day over the week ending Tuesday. Nearly 30% of the adult population has gotten at least the first dose of a vaccine.