Detroit: America's next Covid-19 hotspot battles to prepare for coming surge (Southfield: lofts, home)

[usroute10]

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/...chigan-poverty

Medical experts in Detroit said they are steeling themselves for a surge in coronavirus cases as they prepare to become America’s next major hotspot for the illness.

They said the city’s poverty rates and prevalence of chronic disease make residents especially vulnerable to the virus and could lead to worse outcomes than in New York, currently considered the centre of the pandemic in the US.

Dr Anthony Fauci, the leading US government infectious disease expert, said on Monday that he was “worried” about the Michigan city – warning that it was “starting to show signs that they’re going to take off”

Also, Michigan has the 3rd highest number of coronavirus deaths of all US States

https://www.npr.org/sections/coronav...navirus-deaths

[usroute10]

Detroit has 2,483 COVID-19 cases, 82 total deaths from the virus

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/ne...hs/5102664002/

[usroute10]

Detroit's Health Department is now reporting 2,860 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 97 fatalities.
(My commentary - nearly 3,000 cases is about 5% of the population of the city)

Henry Ford Health System is undertaking a trial to determine if the malaria/lupus drug "hydroxychloroquine" can prevent people from contracting the coronavirus:

The five-hospital system is close to getting Food and Drug Administration approval and is going to start enrolling participants next week, officials said.

"In a matter of four to eight weeks, we will have a really good idea of whether this works," Duggan said. "We will be fighting coronavirus for months to come. We need tools to fight back."

The trial would recruit 3,000 volunteers and include a blood test and would require participants to take a once-a-day dose, once-a-week dose or a placebo of the pill over eight weeks.

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/ne...19/5112130002/

[memph]

Originally Posted by usroute10

Detroit has 2,483 COVID-19 cases, 82 total deaths from the virus

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/ne...hs/5102664002/

You can also track deaths and cases by metro areas here
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/...a-tracker.html

426 deaths and 10,405 cases for metro Detroit. In per capita deaths and cases, it's the 3rd most affected major metro area after New Orleans and New York City.

[adams_aj]

Here's another one. Like a stock ticker:

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/

[metamorphosis]

I’m embarrassed to be a Michigander and have to admit that I live so close to Detroit.

You can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig.

[MI-Roger]

Originally Posted by memph

426 deaths and 10,405 cases for metro Detroit. In per capita deaths and cases, it's the 3rd most affected major metro area after New Orleans and New York City.

I think everyone realizes that Detroit has been fighting poverty for decades, with poor housing conditions, and absence of grocery stores which can provide healthy food. These other factors contribute to associated health conditions such as diabetes, asthma, obesity, etc., which significantly increase the seriousness of any Covid infection by being additional complications.

FYI - (The only grocery store in Detroit is a new Whole Foods which opened in the booming Mid-Town area to serve the tastes of young urbanites with high paying jobs who relocated to gentrified Mid-Town lofts. Other city residents can't afford this store and have no way to get there since Detroit has effectively zero public transportation.)

What I find more interesting and confusing is the higher incidences of Covid infections in the wealthy suburban counties which surround Detroit. Why? Exposures while travelling on business and/or pleasure?

[MI1287]

Quite a few of Oakland County's cases are in Oak Park & Southfield based on several reports I've seen. Not exactly "wealthy" areas. I would agree though that travel plays a part. DTW is also a major international hub for Delta (Asia in particular).

[metamorphosis]

One can expect a higher incidence when groups of people blatantly disregard warnings of being in large groups.

If someone doesn’t want to take responsibility for their behavior, I don’t want to hear any whining when they get sick and blame others.

And folks want to move there . . .

[leroythelion]

Originally Posted by MI1287

Quite a few of Oakland County's cases are in Oak Park & Southfield based on several reports I've seen. Not exactly "wealthy" areas. I would agree though that travel plays a part. DTW is also a major international hub for Delta (Asia in particular).

Did you read the story in the Freep on the weekend about the guy who was sick in mid-March and got tested. Before he got the results, he flew from Detroit to visit his ailing father in Atlanta. He got sick enough in Atlanta to be hospitalized. After a couple of days he *checked himself out and flew back home to Detroit* where he got his test results (positive!) and has now recovered. He probably infected dozens of people along the way. There are no words.....