Michigan adds 451 new cases, seven more deaths due to coronavirus

Michigan added 451 cases and seven deaths related to COVID-19 on Monday.

That brings the state's total number of cases to 102,468 and the death toll to 6,480. 

With probable cases included, Michigan has 113,025, cases and 6,753 deaths, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. 

Of those infected, the statewide fatality rate has dropped from 9.5% in June to 6.3% as of Monday. The infection rate has dropped from 7.5% at the start of August.

On Friday, the state reached a 100,000 case tally, nearly six months from when the virus was first confirmed in the state.

"It is a very disappointing milestone," said Dr. Teena Chopra, an infectious disease professor at Wayne State University. "It only goes to show that despite repeated warnings and the higher mortality that we saw in Detroit, we still put our guard down."

Nearly 27,083 tests were completed on Saturday, the last day that testing was reported in Michigan, and 689 returned positive, the state said. The state's positivity rate peaked on March 15, with 65% of tests returning positive.

Almost a quarter of Michigan’s recorded COVID-19 outbreaks during a seven-week stretch over July and August occurred in long-term care facilities, making it the leading source of virus flare-ups over those summer months, according to recently released state data.

Social gatherings such as funerals, weddings and parties were the second biggest source of outbreaks during the seven-week period at 19% of the outbreaks, according to state data.

While bars and restaurants were initially feared to be a potentially big source of coronavirus outbreaks, they are less likely to happen there than at workplaces. Job sites comprised 16% of the 589 outbreaks across the state compared with 9% for restaurants and bars, according to data released by the state of Michigan to The Detroit News. And bars only accounted for 2% of the overall 9% of the restaurant and bar outbreaks.