Friday cases soar to nearly 9,000

New cases of coronavirus in Michigan soared to nearly 9,000 Friday for the second time this week as efforts continue to vaccinate more people during a spring surge in the virus.

The state health department announced 8,955 new cases and 40 deaths, bringing the total to 779,777 cases and 16,771 deaths since the pandemic began more than a year ago. The new cases topped a surge to 8,867 daily cases just three days ago.

The more populated areas of the state continue to grapple with higher daily case counts, again straining hospital resources.

Southeast Michigan accounted for 41.37% of the new cases and 37.5% of the deaths. There were 1,086 cases and one death in Oakland County, 1,021 cases and nine deaths in Wayne County, 943 cases and five deaths in Macomb County, and 655 cases in Detroit.

Elsewhere in the state, there were 624 cases and three deaths in Kent County, 476 cases and three deaths in Genesee County, 323 cases and one death in Ottawa County, 236 cases and three deaths in St. Clair County, and 195 cases and two deaths in Ingham County.

Mid-Michigan announced 67 cases in Isabella County, 27 cases in Clare County, and 18 cases in Gratiot County.

counties had no new cases or deaths.

The pace of vaccinations continues. Health providers have administered 5,788,119 shots of the vaccine so far, mostly the two-shot treatments from Moderna and Pfizer.

Statistics compiled by the state do not include vaccines administered by health providers who receive vaccines directly from federal programs.

However, state numbers indicate 29.6% of residents age 16 and older have been completely vaccinated against the virus and 44.1% have had one shot, if they’re receiving a twoshot vaccine. The state’s goal is to completely vaccinate 70% of the age 16 and older population. Just one of the state’s 83