April 15. 2020 COVID-19 Community Report
As of this
morning, the Grand Traverse County Health Department continues to report 17
positive cases of COVID-19 in Grand Traverse County residents. To date, 307
individuals have been tested for COVID-19 in Grand Traverse County, 255 have
tested negative and 7 people in the County who had COVID-19 illness have now
completed isolation and are symptom-free.
Stay Home,
Stay Safe, Save Lives remains the most important message for residents throughout
Northwest Michigan. It is essential that people continue to stay home, avoid
all non-essential travel, and practice social distancing when they must go
out.
The Grand Traverse County Health Department has developed a
helpful one-page
info-graphic about when it is safe to leave your home if you have COVID-19 or
live with someone who does. If you are experiencing symptoms or suspect that
you may have contracted the virus, self-quarantine and call your healthcare
provider, the Munson Healthcare COVID-19 hotline number 231-935-0951 (press 5
to access the option 7 days a week from 7 am – 7 pm), or the Michigan COVID-19
Hotline at 888-535-6136, seven days a week from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
As a
reminder, families and neighbors of seniors living alone are encouraged to
provide reassuring support during this extended period of isolation. Call the
Northwest Michigan Area Agency on Aging service center at 231-947-8920 for
additional information or resources that support older adults in northern
Michigan.
Munson
Healthcare is reporting COVID-19 testing results on its
website for each of its hospitals throughout northern Michigan in the
region. Numbers are listed by the hospital that provided service and not broken
out by county of residence.
To date, Michigan
has reported 27,001 cases of COVID-19, with 1,768 deaths. 433 individuals have
recovered from COVID-19. Recovery numbers are difficult to determine because
they lag behind real-time and don’t include unreported mild cases. Numbers are
updated daily.
________________________________________________________________________________
TRUSTED
INFORMATION SOURCES
Information
around this outbreak is changing rapidly. Please direct your neighbors to these
information resources for the most current, factual information:
- Grand
Traverse County: For Grand Traverse County COVID-19 updates, visit the
official gtcountycovid19.com website and Facebook page. Residents
can also call the hotline at 231-642-3548, view daily updates on Cable
Access Channels 189 and 191, or sign up to receive daily updates via email. All critical
health updates come from the Grand Traverse County
Health Department and Munson Healthcare, and are
immediately posted throughout the day along with other updates from the
Joint Operations Center (JOC).
- Munson
Healthcare: COVID-19 testing results are reported
daily for each Munson Healthcare hospital in northern Michigan.
- Statewide:
Michigan.gov/Coronavirus
- National: CDC.gov/Coronavirus
ABOUT THE JOC Grand
Traverse County’s Joint Operations Center has been meeting daily to coordinate
efforts and communication on the COVID-19 pandemic since Friday, March 13.
Members include key community partners from health, government, first
responders, education, social service, and business
sectors.
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 not
available, 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.
