Michigan Daily Coronavirus Cases Increase For 5th Straight Day

MICHIGAN — The number of new confirmed coronavirus cases in Michigan continues to spike as U.S. numbers reached an all-time high Friday.

Michigan health officials on Friday reported 389 new cases of the coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 62,695. The state also reported two new deaths, bringing the statewide death toll to 5,889.

Friday marked the third straight day in which Michigan reported over 300 new cases of the virus. The number of new cases has increase for six straight days after the curve of cases had seemingly flattened, allowing state officials to relax restrictions and allow the reopening of several businesses.

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The shift in cases has also removed Michigan from the its path of containing the virus. According to Covid Act Now, which tracks how well states have controlled the spread of the virus, Michigan is no longer on track to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Last week, Michigan was one of two states on track to do so.

On a national level, the number of confirmed new coronavirus infections in the U.S. Friday reached an all-time high of 40,000, according to The Associated Press. The previous high was reported Thursday at more than 36,000. Many of the hot beds for the virus' second wave are states in which wearing facial masks was not required, according to the Associated Press.

The increase is believed to reflect expanded testing, but also a comeback of sorts by the virus, The Associated Press reported.

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Coronavirus deaths in the U.S. are down to around 600 per day, compared to roughly 2,200 in mid-April, according to the Associated Press. Despite the rise, the Associated Press reported that some experts have expressed doubt that deaths will return to those levels due to advances in treatment and prevention methods.

More than 124,000 deaths in the U.S. have been attributed to the coronavirus, and 2.4 million cases have been confirmed nationwide, according to The Associated Press. But U.S. health officials said the true number of Americans infected is about 20 million, or almost 10 times higher. Worldwide, the virus has claimed close to a half-million lives, according to Johns Hopkins.

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Reporting and writing from The Associated Press was included in this report.