DETROIT, MI — Michigan reported over 1,000 new cases of the coronavirus Thursday, the highest single-day increase the state has reported without citing a testing backlog since April.
The state added 1,121 new cases of the coronavirus Thursday, bringing the statewide case total to 6,289. The state also reported 16 new deaths that are being attributed to the virus — nine of which were identified during a Vital Records review, according to state health officials.
Michigan has reported more than 1,000 new cases a few times since April, but each instance has been attributed to a backlog of testing data. In July, the state twice said an unusually high number of new cases had been the result of a backlog of tests.
In May, Michigan had also reported that a large increase in new cases had been prompted by issues calculating testing results.
But with Thursday’s increase, the state did not offer a similar explanation. The increase is the highest the state has reported since April 24, when more than 1,300 new cases were reported.
FDA Says ‘No’ Too Controversial Coronavirus Drug
One health system in Michigan reported that the FDA recently rejected its request for approval to use a controversial drug to combat the coronavirus.
Henry Ford Health System said emergency use authorization of hydroxychloroquine was requested for some of its patients. However, the use of the drug by the FDA was rejected.
“We remain focused on advancing efforts to develop a safe and effective vaccine against COVID-19,” Dr. Adnan Munkarah, executive vice president and chief clinical officer at Henry Ford Health System, said in a statement to Patch. “We are the only site in Michigan enrolling volunteers in the phase 3 trial of the Moderna mRNA-1273 Coronavirus vaccine and evaluating its promise as a vaccine candidate. We continue to believe that a safe and effective vaccine is the best way to protect people from this devastating virus.”
Whitmer Asks For Help During the Pandemic
The state on Thursday continued to request assistance in combating the coronavirus, with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer writing to President Donald Trump requesting federal funding to pay for the use of the National Guard during the pandemic.
Last week, Trump made the decision to federally fund National Guard activities at only 75 percent in every state except Florida, Texas, Arizona, Connecticut, and California, leaving states across the country with the responsibility to make up the rest of the cost.
“States across the country are already struggling with balancing their budgets to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic while continuing to provide essential services to their citizens,” Whitmer said in a statement. “Michigan needs the president to fully fund the use of the Michigan National Guard so our guardsmen and women can continue to provide crucial parts of our emergency response, like conducting testing and screening, distributing personal protective equipment, and assisting at food banks across the state.”
State, National, and World Coronavirus Numbers
Michigan ranks 18th in the U.S. in total coronavirus cases, according to data provided by the World Health Organization. The state ranks ninth in the nation in deaths attributed to the virus.
The U.S. has reported over 5.3 million cases of the coronavirus, according to the World Health Organization. Nearly 170,000 people in the nation have died from the coronavirus, while over 2.8 million people have reportedly recovered from the virus in the U.S.
Nearly 21 million cases of the coronavirus have been reported worldwide as of Thursday, according to the World Health Organization. That number includes over 750,000 deaths and more than 13.8 million recoveries. A little more than 6.4 million cases around the world remain active.