(WXYZ) — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer provided an update on the state's response to COVID-19 on Friday morning, announcing expanded capacity for outdoor stadiums..
She announced that outdoor stadiums can increase capacity to 20%, meaning about 8,200 fans will be allowed to be at Comerica Park to start the season.
Related: State expands capacity for outdoor stadiums to 20% ahead of Opening Day
Whitmer is also encouraging everyone to get vaccinated when it's their turn, as everyone age 16 and up becomes eligible for vaccination on April 5.
Related: Detroit Tigers to welcome about 8,200 fans with masks required, pod seating & more rules
"You’ll have a summer, a summer of fun ahead, if we all can get vaccinated. We can do this," she said.
Dr. Khaldun said "very concerning data" shows that the state is going in the wrong direction
"We're not out of the woods yet," she said.
Case rates in Michigan are now at 173 cases per million and have been increasing for the past four weeks. They have increased 77% in all age groups, but those aged 10-19 have seen the largest increase.
Related: Michigan seeing concerning rise in COVID-19 cases; 5th-highest rate in US over past week
Related: Michigan's current coronavirus case rate is increasing, now similar to last October
Earlier this week, the MDHHS said that Michigan's case rate is now similar to that of mid-October last year, about one month before Michigan shut some things down in mid-November.
Related: Officials warn Michigan potentially facing another COVID-19 case surge
The state also has the second-highest number of B.1.1.7. – the U.K. coronavirus variant – in the country.
There were more than 13,000 new cases reported in the last week, according to state health officials. The state's positivity rate is now at 5.2%.
Michigan and Minnesota are standing out in the Midwest as showing spikes, while neighboring states are either plateauing or seeing a decline in new cases.
While cases are climbing, the state said more than 3 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered, and almost 25% of Michiganders 16 and up have had at least one dose.
