(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.
2:50 p.m.
The number of deaths from coronavirus is now at 5,129 while the number of cases is up to 53,510, according to the latest numbers from the State of Michigan on Thursday.
That's up 69 deaths and 501 cases from the day before. According to the state, 31 of those deaths didn't actually happen the day before and came from a regular review of vital records done three times per week.
10:10 a.m.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Thursday that retail businesses and auto dealerships will be able to open on Tuesday, May 26 by appointment.
Whitmer also authorized nonessential medical, dental and veterinary procedures beginning Friday, May 29.
Gatherings of 10 or less people can begin immediately.
“The data shows that Michigan is ready to phase in these sectors of our economy, but we must stay vigilant and ensure we’re doing everything we can to protect ourselves and our families from the spread of COVID-19,” Whitmer said in a release. “On behalf of our brave first responders on the front lines of this crisis, we must continue to all do our part by staying safer at home. We owe it to them to do what we can to stop the spread of this virus.”
8:51 a.m.
Michigan saw a decrease in its unemployment rate as more people go back to work, but the state still has the second-highest unemployment rate in the country.
New numbers from the U.S. Department of Labor found that Michigan's unemployment rate dropped to 22.6% last week, which was down from 23.1% two weeks ago.
8:35 a.m.
According to new figures released Thursday by the Department of Labor, 2.4 million people filed initial claims for unemployment for the week ending May 16. That brings a nine-week total — dating back to when states began closing non-essential businesses amid the pandemic — to 38 million initial claims for unemployment.
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.