WASHTENAW COUNTY, Mich. (WXYZ) — The Washtenaw County Health Department is lifting the two-week stay-in-place order for University of Michigan undergraduate students.
The health department said the proportion of local COVID-19 cases associated with UM students has decreased. The reduction in new university-associated cases allowed case investigators and contact tracers to "catch up," the university said.
However, the number of cases in Washtenaw County remains high, the health department said, and weekly test positivity has increased to nearly 4%.
“We are grateful for the cooperation of the university and its students on this order. We know this is incredibly difficult for all of us,” says Jimena Loveluck, MSW, health officer for Washtenaw County. “We’re thankful for this small bit of good news, but we all must continue to do everything we can to minimize the impact of COVID-19 on each of us and on our community.”
“Recent weeks have left no doubt that the virus continues to circulate and have also confirmed that we can minimize its negative impacts by continuing to use face coverings and distance and cooperating fully with all public health guidance,” continued Loveluck.
More than 60% of cases in the county were associated with UM students when the order was issued on Oct. 20. Now, the health department said student cases represent about a third of local cases, or 33%.
A local order further limiting outdoor gatherings to 25 or fewer people in residential settings in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti remains in effect.
Additional Coronavirus information and resources:
Click here for a page with resources including a COVID-19 overview from the CDC, details on cases in Michigan, a timeline of Governor Gretchen Whitmer's orders since the outbreak, coronavirus' impact on Southeast Michigan, and links to more information from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the CDC and the WHO.
View a global coronavirus tracker with data from Johns Hopkins University.
See complete coverage on our Coronavirus Continuing Coverage page.
Visit our The Rebound Detroit, a place where we are working to help people impacted financially from the coronavirus. We have all the information on everything available to help you through this crisis and how to access it.