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This weekend post is updated with Jan. 31 data.
The first month of 2022 brings a notable decline in adult and pediatric Covid hospitalizations in Southeast Michigan, a fresh sign that the Omicron wave may have peaked.
(Photo: Michael Appleton/New York City mayor's office)
Hospitals in Metro Detroit and three adjacent counties had 1,685 adult in-patients with confirmed or suspected coronavirus on Monday -- 890 fewer than on Jan. 3.
That's a 34% drop and continues the region's decline below 2,000 adult Covid patients that was reported Friday for the first time this month.
There were 39 pediatric pandemic patients in the six counties this morning, half the number being treated four weeks ago in Southeast Michigan hospitals.
Statewide, adult hospitalizations dipped by 21% to 3,330 during the past four weeks and patients under age 18 declined by 13% to 93.
"These are hopeful signs that make us cautiously optimistic that we've seen the worst of the Omicron surge," says Dr. Dennis Cunningham of Henry Ford Health System in Detroit.
"However, Omicron is still very much a threat in our community and the pandemic isn't over," he added at a media briefing, citing lower infection and hospitalization numbers a day before the latest state figures. Cunningham is Henry Ford's group medical director of infection control and prevention.
Another local expert, Dr. Matthew Simms of Beaumont Health, is quoted Monday by WDIV: "The omicron surge is coming to an end. I think that we’re starting to see a downtrend because a lot of the people who are susceptible have gotten it," said the director of infectious disease.
(Photo: Chris Clark/Spectrum Health)
Regional and statewide hospitalizations for Covid among adults and pediatric patients have fallen steadily since Jan. 10. This past week, the number of adults hospitalized with the virus fell by 815 since Jan. 24 in Michigan, including by 539 in the six counties around Detroit.
Moreover, fewer adults with the lung virus need intensive care -- 599 statewide as of this morning, down 200 (25%) since Jan. 3.
Figures are from Deadline Detroit records of Michigan Department of Health and Human Services data posted three times each week. Southeast Michigan numbers are for Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Monroe, Washtenaw and St. Clair counties.
