CDC says Southeast Michigan counties are high risk for COVID-19

N95 face masks lined up on a table

Health officials say most of Southeast Michigan is at high risk for the spread of COVID-19.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports all of Wayne County, as well as Oakland, Macomb and Washtenaw, fall into the high-risk category for community transmission of the coronavirus.

Detroit’s health department advises residents to follow CDC guidelines for such areas, including wearing a mask indoors in public settings whether or not a person is vaccinated against the coronavirus. The agency recommends extra precautions for those especially at risk of severe illness from COVID-19, like elderly people or those with some pre-existing health issues.

Michigan health officials say the number of COVID cases and deaths statewide jumped dramatically in the past week. But they add that statistic is misleading because there was a delay in reporting several previous cases. On Tuesday, the state reported more than 2.7 million confirmed or probable cases and more than 37,000 deaths.

Recently, about one out of every five COVID tests reported to the state came back positive.

In related news, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s chief medical adviser who became a household name during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced Monday he plans to retire by the end of the year.

Photo credit: Jake Neher/WDET

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  • Quinn Klinefelter
    Quinn Klinefelter is a Senior News Editor at 101.9 WDET. In 1996, he was literally on top of the news when he interviewed then-Senator Bob Dole about his presidential campaign and stepped on his feet.