About

MI Safe Start Map has ceased updating as of 15 April 2024. For continued reporting of COVID-19 data in the state of Michigan, please visit https://www.michigan.gov/coronavirus.

Laboratory testing data are those diagnostic tests reported to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. By default, data displayed do not include the cases among prisoners in Correctional Facilities. Select the "correctional facilities" check-box to include them. By default, data displayed include PCR tests only. Selecting the “antigen tests” check-box will include COVID-19 antigen test results in the Test Result metrics, but not in the overall calculation of the statewide, region, or county MI Start Map Risk Level. Antigen tests are a more rapid but less sensitive test than PCR tests, and results from antigen tests are often confirmed with a PCR test if an individual is positive but asymptomatic or negative but symptomatic. More details on PCR and antigen tests available in the “Indicator Details” section.

Case data are from the Michigan Disease Surveillance System (MDSS), the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services' web based communicable disease reporting system. Cases are attributed to date of illness onset. If illness onset date is unavailable, date of testing is used. If date of testing is unavailable, date of referral to MDSS is used. Date attributions are subject to change over time as better data become available. By default, data displayed do not include the cases among prisoners in Correctional Facilities; select the "correctional facilities" check-box to include those cases. By default, probable cases as well as laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases are included; select the "probable cases" check-box to exclude those cases. By default, probable cases as well as laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases are included; de-select the "probable cases" check-box to exclude those cases.

Death data are from the Michigan Disease Surveillance System (MDSS). Laboratory-confirmed and probable COVID-19 deaths are included. Displayed dates represent dates of death. If date of death is unavailable, date of last status change in MDSS is used. On January 3rd, 2023, data processing for deaths was revised to match the most current MDHHS methods. Dates and data are subject to change over time as better data become available. By default, data displayed do not include the cases among prisoners in Correctional Facilities. Select the "correctional facilities" check-box to include them.

Laboratory testing data are those diagnostic tests reported to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. By default, data displayed do not include the cases among prisoners in Correctional Facilities. Select the "correctional facilities" check-box to include them.

Syndromic data is based on visits to emergency rooms and urgent care facilities. The statistic displayed is the percentage of presenting patients who had COVID-like symptoms, as reported to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Data is only available statewide and for MERC regions, not for individual counties.

Case, death, and hospitalized cases data is reported by region, race, ethnicity, age group and gender on the Compare page. This demographic comparison data is obtained from case records in the Michigan Disease Surveillance System (MDSS). Note that the hospitalization data between the demographic compare page and other locations within MI Start Map may not align, due to differing data source availability.

On the demographic breakdowns on the Compare page, the “% deaths” shows the percent of COVID-19 deaths recorded in MDSS that occur in each demographic group. The “% cases hospitalized” shows the percent of COVID-19 hospitalizations recorded in MDSS that occur in each demographic group. Data may be missing for demographic variables in the case report, as shown by the “Unknown” line.

Disparities are marked by an icon if a particular demographic group has more than their expected share of cases, deaths, or hospitalizations, based on having at least 33% more cases, deaths, or hospitalizations per million than the general population.

In order to present the most complete data, the Demographics Comparison Metrics are displayed each Tuesday, with the most recent available data as the Tuesday of one week ago.

Official region risk determinations and explanations are provided periodically by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. They are based on overall evaluation by public health officials, taking into consideration individual indicators from this site along with other epidemiologic information. Engagement phases, COVID-19 guidance, and current restrictions in Michigan can be found at https://www.michigan.gov/coronavirus.

The most recent region risk determination prior to the selected date are used to color-code the map regions on the main page and the explanation text that is shown on the top right side of the main page.

From May 16 to August 14, a previous vocabulary of risk levels was used. Those risk determinations are no longer displayed on the map because they are not comparable to the levels in the current system. For those interested in the historical determinations, they are available in this linked PDF.

The overall calculated risk level for each county is taken as the 7-day average daily cases per million or percent test positivity risk level, whichever is worse. A county risk level may not improve until it has experienced a decline of at least 14 days following the most recent level change. In calculating test positivity percentages, only PCR test results are considered.

Official data are sometimes revised to correct errors or the arrival of new information about previously reported cases and deaths. Data in the dashboard about earlier dates always reflect the best currently available data, not what was known as of particular dates in the past.

The percent positive tests metric is calculated as the number of positive tests divided by the total number of tests for a particular day. When testing levels are stable, this metric identifies increases or decreases in the epidemic relative to other causes of respiratory infection. This metric is commonly used in community monitoring studies of influenza and other respiratory viruses. Evaluations of percent positivity (number of positive tests / total number of tests) also enable a look at adequacy of testing in a population. Two types of tests are available for detecting COVID-19 infections: PCR tests (which detect genetic material within a viral particle) and Antigen tests (which detect one or more specific proteins on a viral particle). While PCR tests are considered the gold standard, Antigen tests can be completed faster. It is common practice to confirm the results of an Antigen test with a PCR test, as Antigen tests are less sensitive than PCR tests.

This is the total number of tests performed over the previous 7 days. Testing is important to identifying COVID-19 cases, and may drive up new case volume. Use this metric to see if there has been an increase or decrease in testing over a week that could affect case counts.

The number of new cases is a count of the cases with onset on that particular day. Cases are attributed to date of illness onset. If illness onset date is unavailable, date of testing is used. If date of testing is unavailable, date of referral to MDSS is used. Date attributions are subject to change over time as better data become available.

The number of daily cases per million is the number of new cases with onset on that day divided by the number of people in that county or MERC region and then multiplied by one million. It is adjusted to a "per million people" scale so that counties and regions can be easily compared.

Threshold ranges provide a way to divide continuous outcomes into discrete categories. For example, any number between 40 and 70 daily cases per million is mapped to the letter "C", with 20-40 daily cases per million letter "B". The particular threshold levels selected have been determined by public health experts.

3-day case surge is defined as 3 consecutive days in which there is an increase of 10% or more in new cases each day. Given the high infectiousness of the virus, this metric provides early signals of a sudden increase in infection.

“% of Deaths” shows the percent of COVID-19 deaths recorded in MDSS that occurred in each demographic group.

“% of Hospitalized Cases” shows the percent of COVID-19 hospitalizations recorded in MDSS that occurred in each demographic group.

Data may be missing for demographic variables in the case report, as shown by the “Unknown” line.

Disparities are marked by an icon if a particular demographic group has more than their expected share of cases, deaths, or hospitalizations, based on having at least 33% more cases, deaths, or hospitalizations per million than the general population.