Coronavirus update: Lansing area hits 140 cases as Michigan death toll grows to 259
Ken PalmerLANSING – Michigan's death toll from COVID-19 hit 259 on Tuesday as the number of new positive tests continued to rise by more than 1,000 a day.
The number of cases in Greater Lansing grew to at least 140, according to totals released by the state and local health departments.
Ingham County accounted for 91 of those cases, up 16 since Monday, officials said. Clinton County had 27 cases and Eaton County 22, local health officials said.
Statewide, there were 7,615 cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavius, That's up by more than 1,100 since Monday. Seventy-five more people died, pushing the total of number of deaths to 259, the state said.
The average age of the people who died is 70, but ages have ranged from 25 to 107. Men have accounted for about 65% of the deaths, officials reported.
Coronavirus in Michigan: Here's what we know and the latest COVID-19 updates
The majority of cases are in metropolitan Detroit, with the city itself accounting for more than 2,000 cases and 75 deaths. But the numbers were rising steadily in many parts of the state, with positive tests reported in 67 of the state's 83 counties.
Ingham County's total jumped by 30 cases on Monday, and the county added another 16 positive tests on Tuesday, state officials said.
Livingston County had 80 cases and two deaths as of Tuesday, while Jackson County had 47 cases and one death. Ionia County had four cases.
In west Michigan, Kent County had 108 cases as of Tuesday, including one death, while Ottawa County had 31 cases, according to the state totals.
Shiawassee County had eight cases, and Gratiot County had three.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild to moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness.
Contact Ken Palmer at (517) 377-1032 or kpalmer@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @KBPalm_lsj.