Here’s what to know for March 28, 2022 -

DETROIT – Michigan reported 1,575 new cases of COVID-19 and 38 virus-related deaths Friday — an average of 787.5 cases over a two-day period.

Friday’s update brings the total number of confirmed COVID cases in Michigan to 2,076,143, including 32,752 deaths. These numbers are up from 2,074,568 cases and 32,714 deaths, as of Wednesday.

The deaths announced Friday include 39 identified during a Vital Records review. Here’s the explanation from MDHHS:

“The daily number of deaths in confirmed cases is one fewer than the number identified by vital records review. This is due to corrections being made to previously reported deaths during ongoing data quality and cleaning efforts by public health to ensure the accuracy of death data.”

Testing has increased to around 50,000 to 60,000 diagnostic tests reported per day on average, with the 7-day positive rate at 3.57% as of March 25 — still near the lowest it has been since July 2021. Hospitalizations have decreased over the last few weeks, now down to the lowest total since last summer.

The state’s 7-day moving average for daily cases was 648 on Friday, March 25. The 7-day death average was 21 on March 25. The state’s fatality rate is 1.5%.

Michigan has reported more than 11.4 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine administered as of March 24, with 70.6% of 16+ residents having received at least one dose, while 64.8% of 16+ residents are considered fully vaccinated.

Across Michigan’s entire population, 66.5% have received at least one COVID vaccine dose.

According to Johns Hopkins University, more than 79.9 million cases have been reported in the U.S., with more than 976,000 deaths reported from the virus. Globally, more than 10.8 billion vaccine doses have been administered, including more than 557 million doses in the U.S. alone.

Worldwide, more than 479 million people have been confirmed infected and more than 6 million have died, according to Johns Hopkins University. The true numbers are certainly much higher, because of limited testing, different ways nations count the dead and deliberate under-reporting by some governments.

Coronavirus headlines:

COVID cases and deaths trends by Michigan county

VIEW: Tracking coronavirus cases, outbreaks in Michigan schools

CDC: Many healthy Americans can take a break from masks

Most Americans live in places where healthy people, including students in schools, can safely take a break from wearing masks under new U.S. guidelines released Friday.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention outlined the new set of measures for communities where COVID-19 is easing its grip, with less of a focus on positive test results and more on what’s happening at hospitals.

Michigan drops mask recommendations for K-12 schools, most indoor settings as COVID cases drop

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is updating its COVID-19 masking guidance as the state enters a “recovery” phase following a surge in virus infections and hospitalizations.

Following weeks of a record-setting surge in COVID-19 spread across Michigan, the state’s numbers have shown a promising decline. Daily new COVID-19 case counts are down significantly from last month, and the state’s 7-day positive testing rate is the lowest it has been since the end of October.