LANSING, Mich. — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer provided another update on the state's response to coroanvirus on Monday afternoon.
Watch it below.
Whitmer announced that she would be taking a 10% pay cut as the state deals with the budget problems created by the coroanvirus pandemic, and she also asked her senior executive staff to take a 5% pay cut.
During the press conference, she also talked about personal protective equipment being donated to hospitals around Michigan and how there will soon be more tracing from coronavirus patients as more people are being trained.
As of Monday, there are 2,468 deaths and 32,000 cases cases of coronavirus in Michigan.
She said the curve appears to be flattening and the stay-at-home order is working, as "states without stay-at-home orders are seeing exponential increases (in COVID-19 cases) still."
She said during the question and answer portion of the press conference that the stay home order will likely be extended.
"We will need to extend the stay at home order," Whitmer said, adding that discussions regarding how that will be put into effect will take place over the next several days. The ultimate decision will be driven by data and mitigation, Whitmer said.
The governor also cleared up what she referred to as "confusion" surrounding the state of emergency and the stay at home order.
Whitmer says states often have states of emergencies. The state of emergency, as it relates to the coronavirus, helps to extend protections for frontline workers.
Whitmer went on to say the the stay-at-home-order, which expires the same day as the state of emergency, will and should last a longer, and will be implemented in phase. She said she would like to see support from across the aisle.
She also added that living in a rural part of the state doesn't mean you're safe from coronavirus.
A cumulative total of 3,237 people have recovered from COVID-19 in Michigan, as of April 17, according to state officials.
Michigan ranks fifth in the country in the number of cases behind New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts, and third in the country in deaths behind New York and New Jersey.
On Monday morning, Michigan House Republicans unveiled their plan to reopen Michigan, which is a 3-tier plan. You can read more about it here.
Whitmer also signed an executive order creating the Michigan Coroanvirus Task Force on Racial Disparities.
According to new numbers released on Monday afternoon, 40% of the deaths from COVID-19 are African Americans in Michigan, despite African Americans making up 13.6% of the state's population.
The governor's office said that the task force will work in an advisory capacity and study the causes of racial disparities in the impact of COVID-19 and recommend actions to address those disparities
Additional Coronavirus information and resources:
Click here for a page with resources including a COVID-19 overview from the CDC, details on cases in Michigan, a timeline of Governor Gretchen Whitmer's orders since the outbreak, coronavirus' impact on Southeast Michigan, and links to more information from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the CDC and the WHO.
View a global coronavirus tracker with data from Johns Hopkins University.
Find out how you can help businesses and restaurants struggling during the pandemic.
See complete coverage on our Coronavirus Continuing Coverage page.
Want to see more local news ? Visit the FOX47News Website.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
Download our free app for Appleand Android
and
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox.
Select from these options: Breaking News, Severe Weather, School Closings, Daily Headlines and Daily Forecasts.
