Grand Traverse County COVID-19 Community Update - April 11, 2020
Grand Traverse County has had 17 confirmed positive cases of
COVID-19, with 270 county residents tested, 226 negative results and 27 tests
pending. There have been three deaths and five people have completed isolation
and are symptom free. There is one new case since yesterday, a male in his 70s
with a history of international travel who is recuperating at home.
Recognizing that many people will want to engage in holiday
celebrations or church services this weekend, the public is encouraged to
attend services virtually and visit with family and friends only at a safe
distance, keeping those visits to phone calls or online. Contact with people
outside of your household puts you at an increased risk for getting and
spreading the virus. Officials recommend each household should limit who leaves
the house and that people only leave home for urgent or essential needs such as
groceries or medical supplies.
As a reminder, Governor Whitmer extended the Stay Home, Stay
Safe order through April 30 to limit the spread of COVID-19. In addition to
social distancing and safety guidelines, the order also:
- imposes restrictions on how many people can be in stores at one time;
- prohibits vacation
rentals, except to healthcare workers and first responders; and
- prohibits
people from traveling between two in-state residences.
Munson Healthcare is reporting COVID-19 testing results on its website for each of its hospitals throughout northern Michigan in
the region. Michigan
reported 22,783 cases with 1,281 deaths reported deaths as of this
morning. Approximately 30 of the newly reported deaths yesterday included prior
deaths that had not attributed as coronavirus cases, according to the state
health department.
As PPE (personal protective equipment) supplies
are low, usage of N95 masks should be prioritized for front line, healthcare
workers and first responders. Aligning with the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations, the general public is advised to wear homemade face masks
or face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are
difficult to maintain.
For the most current, factual information, visit Grand Traverse
County’s official website gtcountycovid19.com and
Facebook page
or sign up to
receive the daily update by email. 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 Joint
Operations Center (JOC) members.
Grand Traverse County’s Joint Operations Center (JOC) has been
meeting daily to coordinate efforts and communication on the COVID-19 pandemic
since Friday, March 14. Members include key community partners from health,
government, first responders, education, social service and business
sectors.
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BASIC PREVENTION MEASURES:
The best prevention for viruses, such as influenza, the common
cold, and COVID-19, 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.
- If you are sick, stay home, and avoid contact with
others.
- Replace handshakes with a friendly wave from 6 feet
away.
- Stay at least six feet away from others when in a
public setting.
Information around this outbreak is changing rapidly. The latest
information is available at gtchd.org,
at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus, and
CDC.gov/Coronavirus.
