(WXYZ) — The Centers for Disease Control has updated the COVID-19 community risk level, placing nearly all of Southeastern Michigan in the high-risk of community transmission level.
The updated map places Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Washtenaw, Livingston and St. Clair counties at the high-risk level. Monroe and Lenawee counties are at the medium risk of community transmission level.
Several other counties in other parts of the state are also at that level.
When a county is in a high risk of community transmission, the CDC recommends wearing a mask indoors in public and on public transportation.
Doctors in Oakland County say this is not a time to let your guard down.
“I want people to protect themselves and to protect the people around them,” said Dr. Matthew Sims, an infectious disease specialist at Beaumont Health.
Sims says it's about population and testing.
"We’ve got the highest population density in Michigan, so you are in contact with more people,” he said. "Our numbers have been creeping up in the hospitals slowly but surely.”
"I still see people who get very sick from it. We still see deaths from it,” Sims continued.
America reached a tragic milestone of 1 million COVID-19-related deaths.
In a statement, President Joe Biden said, “One million American lives lost to COVID-19. One million empty chairs around the dinner table — each an irreplaceable loss."
Sims said, "I remember when this started we would say if we don’t get this under control, we would get 100,000 deaths, 200,000 deaths. We’ve hit a million deaths ... The sheer tragedy of COVID is unbelievable.”
It's recommended to stay up to date with the COVID-19 vaccine and get tested if you have symptoms. You should also take additional precautions if you are at high risk for severe illness.
Additional Coronavirus information and resources:
View a global coronavirus tracker with data from Johns Hopkins University.
See complete coverage on our Coronavirus Continuing Coverage page.