DETROIT (WXYZ) — COVID-19 is hurting communities across metro-Detroit, but some are being hit extraordinarily hard.
Health departments are sharing the data community by community.
Taking a look in Macomb County, the health department there Tuesday reports 4,515 cases. Warren has the most, with 867 confirmed cases. Warren Police Captain Dan Bradley says first responders have seen first hand how it is becoming more prevalent.
“You put this type of invisible enemy out there. And we’ve had officers go into a scene, handle the scene professional and then be told after the fact that someone in the house tested positive for COVID,” said Bradley.
They are taking extra precautions to protect themselves.
In Oakland County, the health department is reporting 6,321 cases. One of the hardest hit communities appears to be the 48237 zip code in Oak Park where there are 415 cases.
“It has been daunting to be quite honest with you. We are seeing things starting to plateau,” said Erik Tungate, Oak Park City Manager.
Tungate says he believes his community was vulnerable because it is densely populated, with about 30,000 people in 5-square-miles. He says social distancing has made a difference.
“I want to say to people to please continue to be hopeful and please continue to follow the directives,” he said.
In Wayne County there are two health Departments. The Wayne County Health Department, which covers outside the City of Detroit, reports 6,202 cases. Livonia has the most, with 586.
The Detroit Health Department reports 7,904 cases. The hardet hit zip codes are in the northwest corner of the city, where 48235 has 738 cases.
Lt Governor Garlin Gilchrist says finding out why Detroit - and African Americans in particular have been so hard hit is personal.
“To put this into personal perspective, I have lost 15 people in my life to COVID-19. And I have a number of other people I am connected to personally or professionally that are in the hospital right now. This is why the task force on racial disparities is so important,” he said.
Gilchrist is leading a task force on racial disparities that aims to answer questions about why some communities are harder hit.
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