Look at a list of Michigan provinces with the lowest positivity rates on coronavirus diagnostic tests, and it is highly concentrated in the Upper Peninsula.
As it happens, the regions also have the highest percentage of adults who received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services in Michigan, nearly 24% of the adults in the Upper Peninsula have been vaccinated so far. This can be compared to a state average of 19%.
Meanwhile, UP’s seven-day positivity rate on coronavirus diagnostic tests is 1.8%, half the state average. UP also has a new case rate that is much lower than the state average, and the number of new cases has dropped by 36% in the past week, at a time when the number of cases is rising elsewhere.
Coincidence? Experts say it is too early to tell. But they keep a close eye on the trend lines.
Statewide, Michigan’s seven-day average of new COVID-19 cases is now 1,132, up 9% from an average of 1,037 a week ago.
The average positive percentage of seven days on coronavirus diagnostic tests is now 3.7% compared to 3.4% a week ago.
Below is a closer look at the provincial data, based on two of the statistics used by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
First, a look at the seven-day average positive percentage per country, grouped according to state statistics.
- Level E (more than 20%): None.
- Level D (15-20%): None.
- Level C (10-15%): Missaukee and Kalkaska.
- Level B (7-10%): Nine provinces, highest to lowest – Roscommon, Hillsdale, Newaygo, Tuscola, Luce, Cheboygan, St. Joseph, Wexford and Lapeer.
- Level A (3-7%): 43 provinces, highest to lowest – Shiawassee, Montmorency, Kalamazoo, Livingston, Ingham, St Clair, Benzie, Huron, Macomb, Cass, Calhoun, Arenac, Genesee, Allegan, Berrien, Van Buren, Bay, Lenawee, Saginaw, Gogebic, Sanilac, Eaton, Wayne, Midland, Ionia, Kent, Monroe, Mecosta, Jackson, Leelanau, Clare, Grand Traverse, Oceana, Oakland, Crawford, Emmet, Osceola, Ottawa, Iosco, Houghton , Barry, Clinton and Antrim.
- Low (below 3%): 29 provinces, highest to lowest – Gladwin, Otsego, Delta, Montcalm, Isabella, Tak, Alcona, Lake, Muskegon, Ogemaw, Charlevoix, Alpena, Baraga, Washtenaw, Dickinson, Mason, Presque Isle , Menominee, Mackinac, Manistee, Schoolcraft, Gratiot, Chippewa, Algiers, Iron, Marquette, Keweenaw, Ontonagon and Oscoda.
In the chart below, you can search by country by name to see the average seven-day positive rate for February 25th to March 3rd. The graph compares the average of the past seven days with the average for the previous week.
The interactive map below shows the seven day average testing rate per country. You can place your cursor over a country to see the underlying data.
Compare the card against one that was shaded by the vaccination figures on March 3rd.
The interactive map below shows the number of people per capita who have received at least one dose of vaccine so far. The numbers are based on the whereabouts of the vaccine recipient versus the place where the vaccine was given. You can hold your cursor over a country to see the underlying data. (Note: the number of first doses administered includes those who also received a second dose.)
New cases per capita
New daily cases per capita are another measure used by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to access coronavirus risk.
This measure calculates the average number of new cases per 1 million inhabitants.
The levels for each country:
- Level E (more than 150 cases per million): 14 provinces, highest to lowest – Missaukee, Sanilac, Newaygo, St. Joseph, Lenawee, Cheboygan, Calhoun, Tuscola, Kalkaska, Crawford, Roscommon, Cass, Monroe and Antrim.
- Level D (70 to 149 cases per million): 33 provinces – Midland, Shiawassee, Wexford, Bay, Lapeer, Berrien, Saginaw, Grand Traverse, Genesee, Macomb, Ionia, Kalamazoo, Livingston, Jackson, Ingham, Eaton, Kent, Arenac , Barry, St. Clair, Allegan, Wayne, Hillsdale, Washtenaw, Huron, Ottawa, Gogebic, Montmorency, Oakland, Delta, Lake, Oceana and Benzie.
- Level C (40 to 69 cases per million): 19 provinces – Van Buren, Clare, Mecosta, Houghton, Keweenaw, Gladwin, Osceola, Charlevoix, Isabella, Montcalm, Gratiot, Emmet, Clinton, Otsego, Oscoda, Alpena, Tak, Mason and Leelanau.
- Level B (20 to 40 cases per million), eight provinces: Chippewa, Iosco, Presque Isle, Muskegon, Marquette, Ogemaw, Mackinac and Ontonagon.
- Level A (7 to 20 cases per million), six provinces: Menominee, Schoolcraft, Baraga, Algiers, Alcona and Dickinson.
- Low (less than 7 cases per million): Manistee, Luce and Iron.
Here is an online database that allows readers to see the number of new coronavirus cases in the last seven days compared to the previous week, as well as the number per capita adjusting according to population. The arrows indicate whether the total number of new cases reported in the last seven days has increased or decreased compared to the previous seven days.
The current scores are based on new cases reported on February 26 – March 4. The map below is shaded based on the six levels of the state. The arrows indicate whether the total number of new cases reported in the past seven days has increased or decreased compared to 19-25 February.
Readers can place their cursor over a country to see the underlying data. (Hint: you can drag the map with your cursor to see the whole UP)
Below are online databases that allow readers to look up data at the provincial level over the past 30 days.
Overall score
All eight of the MI Start regions of Michigan are now at level D in the overall risk assessment of the state.
In awarding the risk scores, the Department of Health and Human Services in Michigan looks at factors such as new cases and deaths per capita, test positivity, number of tests administered, and visits to emergency departments for COVID-19 symptoms. The scale used by MDHHS has six levels – ‘low’ plus AE levels.
(The MI districts of the state: Region 1 is the Detroit region; Region 2 is Grand Rapids; Region 3, Kalamazoo; Region 4, Saginaw; Region 5, Lansing; Region 6, Traverse City; Region 7, Jackson and Region 8, the Upper Peninsula.)
Cases per day it was reported to the state
First is a graph showing new cases that have been reported to the state every day for the past 30 days. This is based on the fact that a confirmed coronavirus test is reported to the state, which means that the patient first became ill days before.
You can call up a chart for each country and place your cursor over a bar to see the date and number of cases.
(In some cases, a state reported a negative number (decrease) in daily new cases after a retrospective reclassification by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. In such cases, we deducted cases from the previous date and 0 in reported date.)
The following graph below shows new cases for the past 30 days based on the onset of symptoms. In this graph, the numbers for the past few days are incomplete due to the delay time between people getting sick and getting a confirmed coronavirus test result, which can last up to a week or longer.
You can call up a chart for each country and place your cursor over a bar to see the date and number of cases.
More localized maps
Below are two maps created by the EpiBayes research group at the Department of Epidemiology at the University of Michigan, which have access to sub-province data collected by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
The interactive maps divide the state into hexameters of ten kilometers to give a more localized look at where coronavirus cases occur. You can click here to go to the website of the research project.
The first map looks at confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus in the past week. You can click on a hexagon to see the underlying data.
You can use the triangle button at the top right of the map to switch to the second map, which shows total confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths since the onset of the pandemic.
Last daily report
On Thursday, March 4, the state reported 1,526 new cases of coronavirus and 37 deaths.
The map below shows total confirmed cases and deaths of coronavirus since the onset of the pandemic. You can place your cursor over a country to see the underlying numbers.
Visit MLive’s coronavirus database here for more information across the country. To find a test site in your area, you can visit the state’s online test finder, email [email protected], or call 088-535-6136 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays.
Visit https://www.mlive.com/coronavirus/data/ for more information on COVID-19 in Michigan.
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