Michigan Marks Milestone for COVID-19 Deaths

Michigan has passed the 10,000 mark for the number of lives lost to COVID-19. To honor Michiganders who’ve died during the pandemic, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered U.S and Michigan flags to be lowered immediately Tuesday to half-staff for 10 days, representing one day per 1,000 deaths. The governor’s office said right now, more than one out of every 1,000 Michiganders has lost their lives to the virus.

To lower flags to half-staff, flags should be hoisted first to the peak for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff position. The process is reversed before the flag is lowered for the day.  Flags should be returned to full-staff on Saturday, December 19.

In all, 10,138 Michigan residents have died from COVID-19 since March out of 410,295 people who have had the virus. Saginaw County reported 158 new cases between Monday and Tuesday of this week, and 3 deaths. In that same period, Bay County had 42 new cases and 7 deaths, and Midland County 56 cases and 1 death.

“Our nation is grieving alongside each of the families who have an empty seat at the dinner table each night or who will be missing family members during the holiday season,” Whitmer said. “Right now, we need to listen to our scientists and medical professionals who are asking us to double down on wearing masks and maintaining physical distancing to prevent an unnecessarily greater loss of life. With a vaccine on the horizon, there is light at the end of the tunnel, but we each need to do our part until then. We will get through this together.”

Visit the State of Michigan website for more information and complete data on the coronavirus in this state:  https://www.michigan.gov/Coronavirus