(WXYZ) — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and MDHHS Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun providse an update on the state's response to COVID-19 on Monday afternoon.
Whitmer says the data shows the virus curve is starting to flatten and that all of the "incredible" measures that have been taken are working
"We will get past this. We will get through this. This is not a permanent moment, " Whitmer says.
The Governor says they are tracking the data for when we can reopen, because nobody wants to go through this again.
Whitmer also announced expanded drive through testing in 14 communities across Michigan, including two in Detroit.
She also says she had joined with 12 other governors to ask the Trump administration to open a special Affordable Care Act enrollment period to help deal with the COVID-19 outbreak.
Whitmer says DTE has pledge 2 million masks to the state and they are working around the clock to get more PPE equipment.
State officials say 1/4 of Michigan's workforce has applied for unemployment, which represents more than 1 million people. Michigan is third in the country, behind only California and Pennsylvania.
This was the governor's first press conference since extending the state's stay-at-home order until May 1.
There are now a total of 1,602 COVID-19 deaths and 25,635 confirmed cases in Michigan, the state released.
Cumulative data shows that 433 patients have recovered from the coronavirus (COVID-19) as of Saturday, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
However, Michigan health officials say these numbers may not represent a true decline in COVID-19 deaths and cases in the state.
RELATED: 1,487 deaths, 24,638 cases of COVID-19 reported in Michigan
There were 95 deaths reported on Sunday, April 12, which is down from 111 deaths reported on April 11. Additionally, there were just 645 positive cases reported on Sunday, which is significantly down from the 1,210 reported from April 11.
Michigan health officials say a number of factors play into the recent drop, one being data reported over the weekend and the actual amount of lab tests being done during that time.
"Reported case counts may reflect a reduction in the amount of laboratory testing performed over the weekend and holiday," the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said in a release. "Single day fluctuations in the number of confirmed cases may not be significant, as a number of external factors can affect data reporting."
Data reported on Sundays have shown consistent decreases, MDHHS says, although there is limited data for comparison.
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