GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — More than 100,000 new Coronavirus cases have been reported in the United States, making it the fifth highest day in US since pandemic began.
Here in Michigan, the state confirmed 6,225 new cases of the virus over the weekend, which is another single-day record.
There are 207,794 total confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 7,578 deaths in Michigan, according to the state.
Here in West Michigan, online records show Spectrum Health currently has 242 patients in the hospital with the virus. A total of 58 employees have contracted the virus.
The hospital put into effect new restrictions in effort to slow the spread.
"We are in a critical time as we approach the largest spike of COVID-19 cases West Michigan has seen since the pandemic began," said Darryl Elmouchi, the president of Spectrum Health West Michigan, in a video posted on Spectrum's website,
Elmouchi said the virus is impacting people of all ages, including young people.
"In the Spring we were able to flatten the curve but now we are at a much higher point," he said. "I was recently asked if we were standing on top of a second peak but I am worried we are standing at the base of a mountain," Elmouchi said.
"If we continue at this rate, we could be on the cusp of an outbreak that has the potential to challenge our region's health infrastructure," he said.
There are several reasons we are seeing an uptick in COVID-19 cases, according to Elmouchi, like indoor gatherings due to colder weather. Elmouchi says small group gatherings of only 4-5 people are triggering the spread because people might assume social distancing guidelines aren't necessary.
"We all want COVID-19 behind us but we are still in this," he said. "These are serious times and this is a very real disease."
Elmouchi says Spectrum's PPE is fully stocked and they have set up drive-thru testing sites that are available throughout our region.
"We need your help, we can't do this alone," Elmouchi said.
"We have proven when we work together and each do our part we can slow the spread and save lives," he said.