Michigan adds 6,008 cases of coronavirus, 42 deaths

Correction: This story has been updated to reflect that Wayne County heath officials announced that county hospitals are running at above 75% capacity. A previous version misstated the percentage.

Michigan's surge in COVID-19 cases continued as the state added 6,008 new cases and 42 deaths on Wednesday. 

The additions bring the state's total number of confirmed cases to 229,285 and total confirmed deaths to 7,766, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

On Tuesday, the state broke yet another daily case record with 6,473 new infections and 84 deaths. Tuesday's numbers broke a Saturday record of 6,225 cases and 65 deaths and marked the third case record set in a week. 

Michigan’s record for deaths was reached on April 16 with 164. Deaths stayed near single digits each day from July through September but spiked again with 10-18 per day in early October. Deaths rose on Oct. 23 with 34; 43 on Nov. 3; 51 on Thursday; 65 Saturday, and 84 Tuesday.

Last week marked another record: the state set new weekly highs, adding 29,614 cases and 221 deaths from the virus, shattering the record of 20,154 set the week before. It marked the fourth consecutive weekly record for case numbers.

Regionally, the Upper Peninsula has had the highest case rate at 509 cases per million, which has been increasing for nine weeks straight. Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo have 370 and 331 cases per million, respectively, and both regions have the highest test positivity rate in the state at above 9%.

The Detroit, Saginaw, Lansing and Traverse City regions all have more than 200 cases per million and between 5.5% and 7.7% positivity rates. The Jackson region has the lowest case rate at 193 cases per million and a positivity rate at 4.1%.

On Wednesday, Wayne County health officials announced that the county hospitals are running above 75% capacity. Officials added that an increase to 80% or greater could force restrictions in hospital services. 

Wayne County's COVID-19 health strategist, Dr. Mouhanad Hammami, said the county is stepping up plans for testing, contact tracing, prevention and preparation by enacting a $4.9 million effort to increase COVID-19 testing, giving away 3 million masks, and more.

Local health departments are investigating 590 outbreaks across the state, the largest since the beginning of the pandemic. They're occurring in long-term care, schools, manufacturing, construction, health care and social gatherings, the state said last week.