(WSYM) — The coronavirus delta variant is already taking a stronger hold in Michigan. Counting all types of variants, Macomb & Wayne counties have the most cases in metro Detroit, followed by Oakland and Washtenaw counties.
Some hospital systems are now sounding the alarm that staff are burned out and frustrated with the sheer amount of patients in their beds with COVID-19.
It's been more than a year since the pandemic started, and as cases rise again, state officials say they have no plans to put restrictions in place.
It's leaving frontline workers wondering if the pandemic will ever end.
Michigan is averaging just over 906 cases per day after the weekend, and a new case update will be posted on Wednesday. From the beginning of July until now, the case trend is clearly rising.
"In Michigan, the number of cases has jumped 100 and 80 percent in the past two weeks, and hospitalizations statewide are up by about 35 percent," Dr. Adnan Munkaraha, the chief clinical officer at Henry Ford Health System, said.
As the delta variant fuels another spread of COVID-19 Henry Ford Health System leaders say frontline medical staff are exhausted and angry.
"They are weary and they are really frustrated. They are frustrated because people are refusing vaccine, and then they are seeing some of these people being admitted to the hospital sick and then some of them dying," Munkarah added.
In the face of growing questions over how to confront the variant, Michigan's health and human services director on 7 UpFront said the plan is maintaining the current strategy and promoting the vaccine. - maintaining the current strategy - promote the vaccine.
"There are no plans to implement any statewide gatherings masking orders at this time. We know right now that the best tool we have to fight COVID is the safe effective vaccine," Elizabeth Hertel said.
With the current US trajectory, Dr. Ashish Jha predicts the delta surge will peak in early fall as school gets underway. ashish jha predicting delta's surge will peak in early fall - as school gets underway
"My best guess is that we're going to see a peaking of this sometime in late August into September," he said.
