Tag Archives: Michigan COVID-19 reports

First Michigan case of new COVID-19 variant found in Washtenaw County

The COVID-19 virus. (FDA.gov)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) announced today, Jan. 16, the first confirmed case of the new COVID-19 variant, “B.1.1.7.”, in an adult female living in Washtenaw County and identified by the MDHHS Bureau of Laboratories.

According to the MDHHS statement, the person recently traveled to the United Kingdom, where this variant is thought to have originated.

“Close contacts of this individual have been identified and are in quarantine,” according to the statement. “At this time two new cases have been identified from close contacts with the person, but it is not known if they are infected with the variant.”

B.1.1.7. is believed to be more contagious, and a higher rate of transmission could increase the number of people who need to be hospitalized or who lose their lives to COVID-19 should the new variant begin circulating widely in Michigan. To date, the virus has been identified in at least 16 other states and jurisdictions in the U.S.

“The discovery of this variant in Michigan is concerning, but not unexpected,” Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health at MDHHS, said in supplied material. “We all have a personal responsibility to slow the spread of COVID-19 and end this pandemic as quickly as possible.”

Based on available evidence, current tests and vaccines for COVID-19 also work against this new variant, according to the MDHHS statement. Protective actions that prevent the spread of COVID-19 will also prevent the spread of the new variant, B.1.1.7.

For the latest information on the pandemic, visit Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

State of Michigan reports: State puts teeth into COVID-19 related restrictions, orders

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

The State of Michigan, like most governmental agencies, puts out press releases to media sources on a wide-range of issues almost daily. Some are important for the public to know; some are just routine governmental business. Some make the news and some do not.

We at WKTV have decided that in these times of COVID-19, of often-filtered news, we’d let the state departments say what they want to say to the pubic a little more directly. Following are links to State of Michigan releases from Thursday, April 2 — with a little emphasis given by our staff on what we found interesting.

https://www.wktvjournal.org/after-gov-whitmer-cancels-in-school-education-kent-isd-and-local-schools-exploring-options/For a special WKTV story on Gov. Gretchen Whitmer April 2 Executive Order 2020-35, which orders all K-12 school buildings to close for the remainder of the school year, follow this link.

Heath Department sets fines, other actions to enforce COVID-19 actions 

In the wake of Thursday, April 2, reports that Michigan had recorded more than 10,000 cases of COVID-19 — with 417 deaths — the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) issued an Emergency Order setting a civil penalty of up to $1,000 and a process for referral to licensing agencies for violations of Executive Orders 2020-11, 2020-20 and 2020-21. Criminal penalties for violation will remain an option for prosecutors.

“A person can have coronavirus without knowing it,” Robert Gordon, MDHHS director, said in the release.  “They can spread the disease to others who can spread it to others. The only way to stop the spread is social distancing. A civil penalty and potential licensing actions send a strong message to Michiganders that social distancing is essential to saving lives.”

Read the entire release here.

The other April 2 release, listed by headline and with link, was:

After AG action, three U.P. businesses comply with ‘Stay Home, Stay Safe’ order