DETROIT (WXYZ) — The Delta variant spreads faster than other mutations of COVID-19 as the number of cases in Michigan tied to the variant slowly increases.
The most recent data from state health officials show 58 cases of the Delta variant in Michigan, including 10 in Branch County and nine in Wayne County.
And the number is expected to rise.
"They're going to come from areas where we don't have a lot of vaccinated people," said Dr. Dennis Cunningham, Medical Director of Infection Prevention for the Henry Ford Health System.
Dr. Cunningham said the good news is that the Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are very good at protecting people from hospitalizations and even death.
Cunningham adds that it's not too late for anyone to get the second shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine if they've only received the first.
"My concern is that, eventually, we'll have a variant that we don't have a vaccine for. That's not the case now, but that's why it's so important, we get people vaccinated," he said. "I would love Michigan to get to at least 70% of people fully vaccinated."