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US surgeon general says coronavirus in Detroit will worsen

Published  March 27, 2020 7:09pm EDT
Coronavirus in Michigan
FOX 2 Detroit

FOX 2 - The U.S. surgeon general says the situation in Detroit, a national "hot spot" for cases of the new coronavirus, will worsen.

Three Detroit-area counties -- Wayne, Oakland and Macomb -- account for 84% of the more than 3,600 people in Michigan confirmed to have COVID-19. At least 92 have died, most from the three-county region.

Surgeon General Jerome Adams tells "CBS This Morning" that Detroit "will have a worse week next week." His comments come as as Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's administration implements a plan in which hospitals outside southeast Michigan accept patients from hospitals overwhelmed with virus patients.

Earlier on Friday Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said that DPD Chief James Craig tested positive for the coronavirus.

Craig has mild symptoms, Duggan said, but they have a at least 39 officers who have tested positive and 468 have been quarantined.

RELATED: Tracking Coronavirus deaths in Michigan: 92 confirmed

Michigan is reporting a staggering new 801 coronavirus cases and 32 more deaths on Friday, March 27, skyrocketing the total of infected people in the state to well over 3,000.

Friday's numbers continue the trend this week in which each day's cases increased significantly  by the hundreds. The 801 cases is the highest number per day by far since the first cases were confirmed in the state on March 10. The rise of cases continues to be attributed to Detroit, where testing is becoming significantly more available. 

RELATED: Are you showing symptoms? Try Beaumont's virtual screening tool

The city of Detroit announced Friday it's ramping up drive-thru testing, but they'll soon need some more supplies.

Friday marked the first day of drive-thru testing at the Joe Dumars Field House off of State Fair Avenue in Detroit. Mayor Mike Duggan said the initial plan was to test 100 people Friday and work their way up to 400-500 people next week. But the testing went so well Friday, they’re ramping things up and testing 400 starting tomorrow.

To use the drive-thru facility, patients in Wayne, Macomb or Oakland counties will first have to talk to their doctor. FOX 2 has a full walk-through of how drive-thru testing in works, click here.

What is coronavirus?

From how it spreads to where it originated, here's a look at everything you need to know about the deadly contagion.

The epicenter for the outbreak is in Detroit and Wayne County, which make up almost half of all the state's cases when put together. The county and the city report their numbers separately because they operate independent health departments.

As of Friday, Detroit has more than a thousand cases and 23 deaths while Wayne County reports 735 cases and 14 deaths. 

Five counties reported their first cases Friday: Crawford, Dickinson, Gogebic, Gratiot and Huron. Gogebic County also reported its first death.