Grand
Traverse County COVID-19 Community Update For April 13, 2020
Stay
Home, Stay Safe, Save Lives remains the most important message for residents throughout
Northwest Michigan. It is important that people continue to stay home as much
as possible, avoid all non-essential travel and practice social distancing when
they must go out.
As
of this morning, the Grand Traverse County Health Department is reporting 17
positive cases of COVID-19 in Grand Traverse County residents. To date, 275
individuals have been tested for COVID-19 in Grand Traverse County, 234 have
tested negative and 6 people in the County who had previously tested positive
have now completed isolation and are symptom free. 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.
To date, Michigan has reported 24,638 cases of COVID-19, with
1,487 deaths. 443 individuals have recovered from COVID-19. Numbers are updated
daily.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has 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.
For the most current, factual information about COVID-19 in Grand
Traverse County, visit the official gtcountycovid19.com website and Facebook page. Residents can also call the hotline at 231-642-3548 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. Munson
Healthcare also reports COVID-19 testing results on its website for each of
its hospitals throughout northern Michigan. Please direct your neighbors to
these best information resources.
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.
- 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.
