As of 3 p.m. on Wednesday, November 18th, the Calhoun County Public Health Department (CCPHD) reported a total of 4,496 confirmed cases of COVID-19.    The county has now had 100 deaths attributed to the virus. That’s a total of .22 percent of all Calhoun County Cases, about 22 per thousand.

Health officials warn the recent rise of COVID-19 cases in Calhoun County continues this week, with as many as 90 cases per day continuing to be reported. This case surge is coupled with a high percent positivity rate, at 15.1% as the 7-day average as of Nov. 14 (according to mistartmap.info), which is unprecedented in our county and shows that the high case count is not simply due to an increase in testing. From September to October, Calhoun saw a nearly 250% increase in the number of confirmed cases. As of this writing on Nov. 18, Calhoun is only 10 cases shy of October's 31-day total of positive cases.

Calhoun County COVID Cases By Zipcode-Nov 18
Calhoun County COVID Cases By Zipcode-Nov 18
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Health Officer Eric Pessell points out that hospitalizations and deaths are increasing at a rapid pace. “Today Calhoun County reports 100 total deaths, and it's important to understand that although it took us six months to reach 50 deaths, it only took one month to reach the second 50 deaths”, said Pessell.

Pessell insists that the best action that individuals can take at this time is to follow the new state MDHHS orders that were issued on Sunday, Nov. 16, which can be found on Michigan.gov/coronavirus. These guidelines are in place in Michigan to help us stop the spike in cases, which is something that we must do in Calhoun to prevent our hospitals from reaching an unsustainable situation.

Michigan COVID Cases by County Nov 18
Michigan COVID Cases by County Nov 18
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Guidance for a Safe Thanksgiving

With the Thanksgiving holiday coming up next Thursday, the Health Department has created a video to share the celebration guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.    Officials say the safest way to celebrate this year is with members of your own household.  If you choose other ways to celebrate, please follow the recommended safety measures, like limiting the number of other households and people, wearing a mask, and practicing social distancing.

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