Khaldun Warns Worst Still Ahead In COVID-19 Fight In Michigan

khaldun032620-2
khaldun032620-2

Michigan’s chief medical officer says we’ve not yet seen the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Joneigh Khaldun warned Thursday that more people will be getting sick.

“The next several weeks are going to be very difficult, some of the most difficult we’ve ever faced,” said Dr. Khaldun. “I encourage everyone to take this seriously, and to heed the governor’s executive order to stay home and stay safe.”

Khaldun says in metro Detroit, which has nearly 80% of the state’s coronavirus cases and almost 89% of the deaths in the state, the situation is dire for hospitals, nurses, and doctors.

“We know that many of our hospitals on the front lines, taking care of patients, are at capacity right now,” Khaldun said. “Intensive care units are full. Hospitals are running low on masks and gowns. If they have them, some are needing to renew them between patients.”

She added while the conversion of the TCF Center in Detroit to a field hospital will ease the strain on southeast Michigan hospitals next week, more facilities like that will be needed. Michigan now has 10,791 cases, and 417 have died to date.