GRAND RAPIDS, MI — A surge of coronavirus cases in mid-July in Kent County, along with other parts of Michigan, might be tied to recent high heat in the region, a county health leader says.

“People have been inside more,” said Kent County Health Director Adam London. “They don’t like being out in this weather too long.”

With more people indoors in air-conditioned environments, there’s a higher risk for transmitting the virus.

Regardless of the reason, that mid-July surge in new daily cases seems to have subsided. Over the last seven-day period, Kent County has experienced a 23 percent decline on average in new daily cases reported.

Kent County data shows the county was averaging 77 COVID-19 cases per day in mid-July. During the last week, the number has dropped to an average of 59 cases per day.

London said the July 4 holiday, with more people gathering, also likely contributed to the mid-July increase in cases.

Overall, Kent County has shown an improving pattern in the last two weeks. State health leaders moved the 13-county region — Kent, Ottawa, Ionia, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, Mecosta, Isabella, Clare, Osceola, Lake and Mason — from a “high risk” designation on the state’s MI Safe Start Map to “medium-high risk.”

The map, which is separate from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s economic-opening map, is intended to show the risk for coronavirus spread in any given region.

Most of Michigan now is in the “medium-high” risk designation on the MI Safe Start map, with the exception of the Traverse City region at the “medium” risk level.

London said Kent County appears to be trending in the right direction, although he acknowledged the daily case counts have sometimes fluctuated significantly.

The county’s positive rate — the percentage of those who test positive compared to total tests administered for a given day — has dropped to about 2.9 percent for a seven-day average, according to the Kent County coronavirus dashboard.

The rate exceeded 4 percent earlier this month.

As a rule, state health leaders want positive rates below 3 percent.

London said the county is now conducting about 2,000 tests per day through the various hospital systems, four Kent County Health Department testing sites, drug stores and the Cherry Health system.

“We’re right up there with Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties,” he said. “So we’re pushing above our weight when it comes to testing.”

Kent County now has 6,288 coronavirus cases since recording began in March, with 149 deaths. The county has recorded 4,853 recoveries. A recovery is defined as someone who is alive 30 days beyond the onset of COVID-19 symptoms.

London said the county continues to be in good shape with hospital capacity.

The Spectrum Health hospital system now has 51 people in the hospital with COVID-19 or with COVID-19 symptoms, far below the high of more than 100 people in late April.

Mercy Health in Grand Rapids and Muskegon have only 11 people in the hospital with COVID-19.

And Metro Health has only two people in the hospital with COVID-19 or with COVID-19 symptoms.

London said some people are being tested because they have cold-like symptoms and they find out they are negative.

Even in those cases, people should consider staying home from work or going out into crowded places to keep from compromising other’s immune systems.

“We don’t want to be passing around too much of anything right now,” he said.

For more statewide data, visit MLive’s coronavirus data page, here. To find a testing site near you, check out the state’s online test finder, here, send an email to COVID19@michigan.gov, or call 888-535-6136 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays.

COVID-19 PREVENTION TIPS:

In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.

Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible.

Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued executive orders requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nosewhile in public indoor and crowded outdoor spaces. See an explanation of what that means here.

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

For more data on COVID-19 in Michigan, visit https://www.mlive.com/coronavirus/data/.

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