As Ohio cautiously looks toward restrictions being eased in May, Scene’s sister paper in Detroit this week looked at why that state has seen far more death and devastation than its neighbors. The answers experts are finding are informing how Michigan, and Ohio, may move forward.
The coronavirus was rapidly spreading across the U.S., with more than 1,000 confirmed infections in 35 states, when Gov. Gretchen Whitmer got the call: The first two COVID-19 cases in Michigan had been confirmed.
It was March 10, about an hour after the primary election polls closed. Whitmer headed to the State Emergency Operations Center for a press conference to declare a state of emergency.
“The main goal of these efforts is to slow the spread of the virus, not to stop it,” Whitmer told reporters in a sullen tone. “It has moved into Michigan.”
Since then, the coronavirus has ravaged the state, claiming the lives of more than 2,400 residents and infecting more than 30,000 others. Hospitals have become overwhelmed, Whitmer ordered all schools and non-essential businesses closed, and more than 1 million residents have lost their jobs.
The question many people are asking has no easy answers: How did Michigan get hit so hard by a virus that originated in Wuhan, China, last year? And why did it get hit harder than its neighboring states?
Public health experts and epidemiologists interviewed by Metro Times say it’s likely a combination of factors: Flights from Asia and Europe, the internationally connected auto industry, a primary election, a densely populated city reliant on public transit, and a delay in closing down restaurants, bars, and casinos — all while the virus spread undetected.
Figuring out how it happened is important in planning the next steps to combat the most destructive pandemic in a lifetime and rebuild the toppled economy.
“There will be many papers and books written about this, and our epidemiological health teams are exploring it right now,” Dr. Steven Kalkanis, CEO of the Henry Ford Medical Group, tells Metro Times.
As one of only 15 states that had not yet confirmed a COVID-19 case, Michigan appeared to be faring better than most of the U.S. at the outset of the crisis. The nation’s death toll had already reached 31 before Michigan identified its first confirmed infection.
But over the next several weeks, Michigan experienced a swift increase in confirmed infections and deaths, making it one of the hardest-hit states in the country.
Now Michigan has a higher coronavirus death toll than Ohio, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Illinois combined. Only New York and New Jersey have more COVID-19 deaths.
What’s now clear is that the coronavirus had already begun spreading throughout communities in southeast Michigan before the first case had been confirmed, public health experts say.
No one can say for sure how or when the virus reached Michigan, but experts believe that Detroit Metropolitan Airport played a role.
In early February, it was among 11 airports in the U.S. where travelers from China were diverted for health screenings and possible quarantine. In the months leading up the pandemic, the airport was also a popular hub for international travelers, many of whom had ties to the region’s auto industry.
State Rep. Isaac Robinson, a Detroit Democrat who died March 29 after a suspected COVID-19 infection, was campaigning for Sanders at nursing homes on March 6. Later that day, Sanders held a large rally at the TCF Center, which has since been turned into a field hospital for COVID-19 patients.
Four days later, on March 10, more than 2 million people cast a ballot in the primary election, sharing pens and polling booths.
“I do think the election had a significant impact on the spread,” Fishbain says.
About 90 minutes after the polls closed at 8 p.m., Robinson and other state lawmakers received a text message: “We have 2 positive Coronavirus tests in Southeast Michigan.”
Some political activists say the election should have been postponed. That would have delayed the meet-and-greets and rallies while the coronavirus was rapidly spreading across the globe.
“It was completely irresponsible to have the election,” Bridget Huff, chairwoman of the Progressive Caucus of the Michigan Democratic Party, tells Metro Times. “The only result we have is widespread illness that we can’t trace. Nothing good came from it, and lives were lost.”
Health officials have traced suspected outbreaks to two March 6 law enforcement parties. At Bert’s Warehouse Theater in Eastern Market, active and retired Wayne County Sheriff’s officers mingled at an annual party with burgers, drinks, and jazz. One of the partygoers, Commander Donafay Collins, became seriously ill.
“This flu is no joke!!!!” Collins wrote on Facebook on March 11.
Collins died from the coronavirus on March 25.
State Rep. Tryone Carter, who was also at the party, tested positive for the coronavirus.
By March 30, more than 41 sheriff’s employees tested positive for the virus and two died, Collins and Deputy Dean Savard.
Also on March 6, about 100 people attended the Police and Pancakes event in Detroit, where another suspected outbreak occurred. One of the attendees, community leader Marlowe Stoudamire, died March 24 after testing positive for the coronavirus.
The city’s health department didn’t recommend quarantine for officers in attendance until March 20 — two weeks after the party. By then, the coronavirus was spreading quickly through the force. The number of confirmed positive cases among police officers rose from nine on March 23 to 170 on April 8, demonstrating how quickly the coronavirus spreads. Detroit Police Chief James Craig was also infected. Three members of the Detroit Police Department died from COVID-19: a Detroit police chaplain, a dispatcher, and Homicide Chief Jonathan Parnell.
“Somebody brought the virus into this community early on,” Mayor Mike Duggan said on April 1. “It spread in this community before we knew it was happening.”
The coronavirus has also devastated Detroit’s close-knit ballroom dancing community, killing more than a dozen. In the second week of March, with no ban on gatherings, dancers mingled at the Paradise in Southfield, Club Yesterday’s in Redford Township, and EARS Showplace in Hamtramck.
On the weekend before St. Patrick’s Day, some bars were packed with revelers seemingly unfazed by the coronavirus.
Finally, on March 24, Whitmer ordered the closure of non-essential businesses by issuing a stay-at-home order.
It appears to be working. New cases and deaths have flattened, and the number of hospital admissions for COVID-19 patients is declining. As of Monday, about 1,200 coronavirus patients were on ventilators, down from 1,440 a week earlier.
“In the city of Detroit, we are beating this thing,” Duggan said on April 17.
The number of new deaths in Detroit has fallen to under 20 a day. By comparison, the city was averaging about 35 daily deaths earlier in the month.
“The hard part about public health is when you’re successful, it’s really hard to see how many lives you’ve saved,” Whitmer said at a press conference last week.
As the outbreak weakens, public health officials are urging caution.
“Our concern is that if we don’t observe the types of precautions that we have been, there may be a second surge,” Kalkanis says. “This is something we are trying to guard against in the immediate future. We’re also concerned that there may be another surge next fall or in the winter.”
With a severe shortage in testing kits, it’s too early to know how many people are infected.
“We need to get more people tested,” Whitmer says. “In order to safely open the economy, we have to know how much COVID-19 is present in the state.”
But in recent days, Michiganders have begun to grow restless of the stay-at-home order, which Whitmer extended to the end of April. Last Wednesday, thousands gathered in Lansing for “Operation Gridlock,” arguing the order goes too far and hurts small businesses.
Originally, organizers asked people to protest by staying in their cars to avoid spreading the virus. But many people got out of their cars regardless, standing closer than six feet apart and not wearing face masks. Some even brandished guns.
Whitmer said she was “disappointed” in the protesters, and that the gathering “may have just created a need to lengthen” the shutdown.
This article appears in Apr 22-28, 2020.
And all those folks who blatantly disregarded all forms of authority in Lansing were white trash gun-toting Trump-suppoerting assholes. WHITE. Same as in the other states. Haven’t seen many blacks protesting…they’re too busy dying. Explain THAT, asshole. I’m waiting.
Just how are all these black folk getting infected staying at home,,,that’s the big question., I also hope all the white asses out there protesting can catch a dose so they know what it’s all about on a personal level
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Police accused a Cleveland man of violating Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s stay-at-home by throwing a house party at an Airbnb rental that drew about 100 partygoers.
Reginald Lockett, who turned 20 the day of the party,,
Reggie Reggie Reggie,,,,maybe this is how it’s spreading in certain communities.
The 100 eventually go home to mom, or grandma,,,,be careful out there Reggie.
Or because African-Americans are systemically disenfranchised and have any wealth sapped out of their communities. They’re also more likely to live in urban areas (where outbreaks are worse), are low income (can’t afford to not work), and work in the service industry (more exposure). Has nothing to do with not following the rules, and everything to do with your level of exposure – and vulnerable people are more exposed.
But you’re obviously just some sort of fascistic, right wing, bootlicking boy-diddler so you probably don’t give a damn about the facts anyway. Hope you get sterilized, you morbidly obese neckbeard.
Ok has nothing to do with people like Reggie,,,,party on Reggie
Blacks and Hispanics are in worse shape because of their pre-exsitinng illnesses…and poor people are more unhealthy and less likely to be able to afford decent healthcare. So they were sick before the shit hit the fan, and that makes them more likely to catch the plague and to die from it. I guess this racist dipshit doesn’t have a TV, or he’d have been aware of who most of the dead New Yorkers were. Same thing in Chicago and Detroit.
But no, he’d rather rant about murder, illiteracy, illegitimacy, graduation, police shootings, traffic stops and court sentencing…and not following the fucking rules.
Before this crisis, I tried to avoid obscenties and profanity and name-calling…in other words, I tried to act like an adult. But now the gloves are off, and there are no other words to deal with these misbehaving
little Hitler Youth wannabees, who are pissing all over this site.
So kiss my ass, you dumb shit-for-brains. Grow the fuck up and kwitcherbitchin already. Go volunteer at a goddam food bank and get out of the house. You might actually become a human being.
How is my volunteering at a food bank going to make black people stop ignoring social distancing?
Weird.
Doing something useful and worthwhile might get you out of the house and less of a paranoid, bigoted racist. At the very least it might make you less of a keyboard warrior and reduce the number of rants about Commie-journalist-Democrat-Jews. By asking that ridiculous question, you proved just how mentally disturbed you really are. I would advise you to seek help, but it appears you’re beyond help.
The answer is Delta …… When you are a hub city that means the risk of contamination goes up radically and then gets spread from the passangers to the ground staff to the streets of Detroit and beyond.
Michigan is a democrat shithole and Ohio is a red state. It’s really that simple!
Wonder if we will have any local Airbnb parties this weekend,
CLEVELAND, Ohio— Cleveland police found seven guns, including an assault rifle, inside an Airbnb rental during a party that drew more than 50 people.
Another Airbnb party this one with guns,,,,,and some wonder how the people are getting sick in the hood at a higher rate,,,,no brains might be a cause