(WXYZ) — All of the updates on the coronavirus and the incredible impact it's having on our lives can be hard to keep up with. To help you keep up, we'll post this daily blog on our homepage. You can find all of our stories on our coronavirus page.
4:30 p.m.
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan announced a new program that will get Detroiters without transportation to COVID-19 testing.
Those with no transportation and a doctor's prescription will get to the State Fairgrounds for free testing.
The city entered into a contract to provide $2 rides for those without transportation to get tested. Drivers will not turn anyone away if they don't have $2, and it's for Detroiters being picked up and dropped off at a Detroit residence.
4 p.m.
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan is expected to give his daily update on the city's response to COVID-19 at 4 p.m.
Watch live here
3 p.m.
There are now 479 deaths and 12,774 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Michigan, the state announced on Friday afternoon.
Both Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and MDHHS Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun said that at this point — Michigan could now be five weeks away from its peak in this outbreak.
1:54 p.m.
Boating is not banned during Michigan's stay at home order, but it is discouraged, according to Michigan State Police.
Under the executive order, people can leave their homes and travel as necessary to engage in outdoor activity, which includes "walking, hiking, running, cycling, or any other recreational activity consistent with remaining at least six feet from people from outside the individual’s household."
But MSP is discouraging people from boating, and if you have boat trouble, someone will have to come out and rescue you and that can put them – or you – at risk.
12:30 p.m.
Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter is updating the county's response to COVID-19.
11:40 a.m.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed an executive order protecting workers who stay home when they or their close contacts are sick.
All employers are prohibited from discharging, disciplining or otherwise retaliating against an employee for staying home from work if they or one of their close contacts tests positive for COVID-19 or has symptoms.
The order takes effect immediately and will remain in place until the end of the governor's declared emergency.
11:20 a.m.
MILogin, the sign-on portal used to access critical state services, will be unavailable Friday evening for maintenance and upgrades.
The system will be unavailable beginning at 11 p.m. on Friday, April 3, until 7 a.m. on Saturday, April 4.
Many state applications like Michigan Web Account Manager for unemployment benefits and MI Bridges to apply for food assistance utilize MILogin.
10:46 a.m.
Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist and former Lt. Gov. Brian Calley are teaming up for a new coalition to support small businesses amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
Calley, who is the president of the Small Business Association of Michigan, worked with Gilchrist and Bob Doyle, the president and CEO of the Michigan Association of CPAs, to launch a new website to help businesses with the Paycheck Protection Program application from the U.S. Small Business Administration.
The website, MIpaycheckprotection.com, will help the application and loan process to help people get federal funding.
10:39 a.m.
U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters announced $53,823,765 in funding to help local governments in Southeast Michigan respond to the COVID-19 outbreak.
The funding was included in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act that was signed into law on March 27.
“Local governments are on the front lines of this battle. This funding will give them additional resources to respond to this unprecedented threat. Communities can use these funds to meet the unique and growing needs of their communities with things like assistance to businesses, job training for health care workers, shelter for homeless people, testing, equipment and supplies,“ Stabenow said in a press release.
10:17 a.m.
The Michigan Attorney General's office is telling businesses to stop selling fake COVID-19 testing kits to Michiganders.
AG Dana Nessel's office says on Wendesday they contacted two related businesses demanding the business owners stop marketing and selling fake at-home COVID-19 test kits to local residents. This was in a continuing effort to protect Michiganders from scams and price-gouing, according to Nessel's office.
The Attorney General’s letter was sent to VitaStik Inc. and $tronghold Inc. – both registered in Las Vegas, Nevada, but operating in Beverly Hills, California – after a concerned Michigan consumer reported the businesses’ website promoting at-home COVID-19 test kits.
9:01 a.m.
A record-long streak of U.S. job growth ended suddenly in March after nearly a decade as employers cut 701,000 jobs because of the coronavirus outbreak that’s all but shut down the U.S. economy.
The unemployment rate jumped to 4.4% from a 50-year low of 3.5%.
8:47 a.m.
Two more Michigan auto workers have die from COVID-19 complications, according to the UAW.
UAW President Rory Gamble announced Thursday one employee at the MOPAR Centerline Packaging plant passed away from the virus, as well as an employee at the Ford Livonia Transmission plant.
8:02 a.m.
Busch's Fresh Food Market hiring for hundreds of positions. They have 16 locations throughout southeast Michigan.
According to Busch's, there are full- and part-time positions available, and stores have been busier than ever amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
They are hiring for all shifts in all departments with salary all over the board.
5:51 a.m.
TOWN HALL RECAP: The Governor and Dr. Khaldun spoke on everything from the decision to close k-12 schools for the remainder of the year, testing, and the economy. Michigan could be three to five weeks away from peak COVID-19 numbers. Click here.
4:37 a.m.
The Henry Ford has announced temporary staffing and salary cuts amid the coronavirus pandemic. Click here.
4:27 a.m.
The Guild of Artists & Artisans has announced its plan to host their 2020 Spring Art fair amid the coronavirus outbreak. Click here.
Additional Coronavirus information and resources:
Read our daily Coronavirus Live Blog for the latest updates and news on coronavirus.
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 metro Detroit restaurants struggling during the pandemic.
See all of our Helping Each Other stories.
See complete coverage on our Coronavirus Continuing Coverage page.