(WXYZ) — Michigan's COVID-19 case numbers are growing faster than any other state and the number of overall hospitalizations has grown 55% in the past two weeks.
While Michigan had stricter regulations than many other states, restaurants reopened, schools returned to face-to-face learning, youth sports picked up and entertainment venues opened.
Grosse Pointe Public Schools, like so many other districts across the state, is seeing the rise, in both sports teams and social circles.
"We had a wrestler and he went out positive, and he has a girlfriend, and then his girlfriend turns up positive," Grosse Pointe Schools Superintendent Dr. Gary Niehaus said.
Through contact tracing, the district determined teens are catching COVID-19 from socializing, not from class
"They want to get back together they want to socialize they want to be normal again, and we may not be ready right now," he added.
Hospitalizations for COVID-19 patients between 30 and 50 years old have increased by more than 600% since the beginning of the month
Brian Peter, CEO of the Michigan Health and Hospital Association, says this could be a sign that vaccines are working.
Several new more contagious variants in Michigan could also be contributing to the surge.
"Michigan has done a better job than just about any other state in the country in terms of sequencing for those variants," Peter said.
While several factors could be contributing to the surge, COVID fatigue is likely the biggest culprit. With vaccinations increasing, the finish line is just up ahead
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