State reports 8,409 new cases, 82 deaths

Michigan public health officials reported Friday 8,409 new COVID-19 cases and 82 additional virus deaths over the past two days.

The two-day case total brought the state’s total confirmed cases and deaths to 1,055,420 and 21,313 deaths since the onset of the pandemic.

According to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), those totals represent testing data collected Thursday and Friday. MDHHS publishes new case, death, and vaccination numbers every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday with new outbreak-related data published every

Monday.

Of the 82 deaths reported, 40 were identified during a vital records review. Over the past two days, the state has averaged 4,205 cases per day per 100,000 residents, up from 3,837 cases per day per 100,000 residents Oct. 5-6, an 8.7% increase.

Over the past two days, Oakland County has seen the largest increase in new cases at 821 followed by Macomb County at 662, Kent County at 659, Wayne County (excluding the City of Detroit) at 572, and Ottawa County at 281. The City of Detroit has seen an increase of 292 cases.

The state’s 7-day COVID-19 average case and testing positivity rates continue to remain high due to the spread of the delta variant. The state’s 7-day average COVID-19 death rate has been increasing since midAugust with the rate currently standing at 21 deaths per day over the past week. That’s an increase from the 2 deaths per day average recorded Aug. 11, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a 950% increase.

Michigan’s 7-day average COVID-19 death rate has been increasing since midAugust, per CDC data.The number of U.S. COVID-19 deaths in 2021 has already surpassed 2020 totaling over 700,000. The 2020 tally was 352,000, or half that number. Most Michiganders dying from COVID-19 are age 50 and older.