COVID-19: No Deaths, 6 Hospitalizations in Washtenaw County, Positives and Quarantines Up in Saline Schools

There were no new COVID-19-related deaths in Washtenaw County according to daily data updated by the health department Tuesday.

243 county residents have died with COVID-19. The health department data showed six more hospitalizations since Monday's update. There were also 125 more positive tests in the county. 

State data showed the positive test rate in Washtenaw County falling from 8.66 to 3.6 percent as testing levels rose.

The Saline Area Schools district updated its COVID-19 data, even though classes have been halted due to spring break. The weekly dashboard showed 25 positive cases within the district. The highest previous number recorded was 12. Last week, there were zero positive cases.

All 25 positive cases in the district were from students.  18 of those positives were at the high school.

The district also saw total quarantines rise from 28 last week to 80 this week - the second-highest number since in-person instruction resumed in late September. Of the 80 people in quarantine, 78 were students.

The sudden surge comes as the district began spring break - and one week before the district attempts to launch in-person teaching four days a week.

Interim Superintendent Steve Laatsch said most of the positive cases in the high school are related to athletics. Other cases, he said, related to out-of-school activities. Laatsch said the district has not yet seen any evidence of spread in the schools in the classrooms. Laatsch said that the district is working on plans to allow athletes to test for SARS-CoV-2 this weekend and Monday before classes resume.

Across Michigan, some COVID-19 metrics are high, but there may be signs that the spread is slowing down.

The positive test rate in Michigan fell slightly from 15.64 to 15.4 percent, according to state date. The state recorded 5,177 new positive tests. The number of new positive tests seems to be leveling off after remarkable growth last week.

Michigan reported 48 COVID-19-related deaths, including 20 found during a review of vital records.  16,082 people have died with COVID-19, according to the state.

Hospitalization metrics continue to rise. There were 488 COVID-19 patients in critical care beds, up by 23 since yesterday. There were also 192 patients receiving care with ventilators, an increase of 33 since yesterday. The state data showed 22 new pediatric patients with COVID-19.

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