Michigan reports four more deaths, 768 cases linked to coronavirus

Michigan added 768 cases of COVID-19 and four deaths related to the virus on Sunday.

Sunday's new additions bring the state's total number of cases to 96,792 and total number of deaths to 6,393. 

On Saturday, the state reported 953 confirmed cases of the virus, the third highest daily count in August, due to reporting glitches from Friday when less than 400 cases were reported.

The state warned on its COVID-19 site that the next few days will likely have "higher-than-expected numbers of daily case counts" as valid results are entered into the system.

With probable cases included, Michigan has 106,808 cases and 6,659 deaths, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. 

Of those infected, the statewide fatality rate has dropped from 9.5% in June to 6.7% as of Sunday. The infection rate has dropped from 7.5% at the start of August.

Nearly 23,719 tests were completed on Friday, the last day that testing was reported in the state and 760 returned positive, the state said. In comparison, more than 30,000 tests had been completed each day last week with a 4% infection rate. The state's positivity rate peaked on March 15, with 65% of tests returning positive.

Central Michigan University reported 38 confirmed cases of coronavirus that were linked to the college as well as eight probable cases on Saturday. 

"Every case has between 5-20 close contacts that we were contacting as well," said Steve Hall, health officer for the Central Michigan District Health Department. 

CMU said its COVID-19 outbreak is linked to parties. School officials have threatened to fine or suspend students if they host or attend large gatherings.

On Friday, six businesses were cited and fined a total of $33,400 by Michigan regulators for failing to uphold public health and safety practices implemented to stop the spread of the coronavirus. 

The citations were issued as the Whitmer administration's monthly complaint average rose fivefold from 200 prior to the pandemic to about 1,000.

"We’ve received more complaints since March than we did in calendar years ’18 and ’19," said Bart Pickelman, director of the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

The majority of the increase in complaints are COVID-19 related and encompass both detailed and vague complaints about businesses, he said.