Update
For March 24, 2020
The Grand Traverse County
Health Department is reporting that two additional cases of COVID-19 have been
confirmed in Grand Traverse County residents. The first case is a male in his
fifties with a history of domestic travel. The second case is a female in her
sixties, also with a history of domestic travel. These cases are unrelated and
both are recuperating at their own homes. The County Health Department is working to identify and contact
anyone potentially exposed and will maintain regular contact with each
individual while they remain in home isolation. 81 people have been tested for
COVID-19 in Grand Traverse County, 3 tests have come back positive and 51 tests
have come back as negative as of March 24, 2020.
For
the most up-to-the-minute, factual information, visit Grand Traverse County’s
official website gtcountycovid19.com and Facebook
page. All critical health
updates come from our community’s experts at the Grand
Traverse County Health Department and Munson Healthcare and are immediately posted throughout the day along with
other updates from Joint Operations Center (JOC) members. Residents are
encouraged to direct their neighbors to these trusted information resources.
The JOC is also sharing updates with traditional media for people who do not
have access to digital information.
Please note, anyone who does
not have a physician or insurance can call the Munson COVID-19 hotline number
231-935-0951, press 5 to access the option 7 days a week from 7 am – 7 pm if
they are symptomatic and seeking testing. Testing is based upon criteria set by
the state health department.
Yesterday, Governor
Whitmer issued the “Stay Home. Stay Safe” Executive Order No. 2020-21 which went into effect at midnight and is effective for
the next three weeks. A summary of her Stay Home, Stay Safe Executive Order can
be found here. The State of Michigan is also updating a Frequently
Asked Questions page to help answer specific
questions related to the Stay Home, Stay Safe Executive Order. This Executive
Order is intended to help save lives. Stay at home, except for critical work
and needs. People of all ages need to follow this and all executive orders to
stay home as much as possible and avoid any non-essential travel in the community.
Wash your hands often, don’t touch your face, stay at least six feet away from
others if you must go out, and stay home if you are sick.
The
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services assembled an FAQ on COVID-19 and
how to protect yourself. If you suspect that you may have contracted the virus,
call your healthcare provider or the Michigan COVID-19 Hotline at 888-535-6136,
seven days a week from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
To date, Michigan has reported
1,328 cases of COVID-19, with 15 deaths.
Numbers are updated daily at 2 pm. Many have recovered from COVID-19. Recovery
numbers are difficult to determine because they lag behind real-time and don’t
include unreported mild cases.
The Grand
Traverse County Joint Operations Center meets daily to coordinate efforts and
communication on the COVID-19 pandemic. Members include key community partners
from health, government, first responder, education, social service, and
business sectors.
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BASIC
PREVENTION MEASURES
The best
prevention for viruses like COVID-19, influenza, and the common cold is to:
- Wash
your hands often with soap and warm water for 20 seconds. If soap and
water are unavailable, use hand sanitizer.
- Avoid
touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
- Cover
your mouth and nose with a tissue or upper sleeve when coughing or
sneezing.
- Avoid
contact with people who are sick.
- If
you are sick, stay home and avoid contact with others.
- Stay
at least six feet away from others when in a public setting.
- Replace
handshakes with a friendly wave from 6 feet away.
Information
around this outbreak is changing rapidly. The latest information is available
at gtchd.org, at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus, and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.
