In recent press conferences, Mayor Duggan has gone on record expressing concerns over possible threats, such as nice weather and holidays, nullifying efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 within the city.
“I was very concerned over Easter weekend whether we’d see clustering and undo all the progress…but we had good cooperation,” said Duggan. “Nearly every trend is heading in an encouraging direction.”
Nearly 600 police officers and 100 firefighters have returned to work.
Chief Public Health Officer, Denise Fairs says numbers are indicating fewer new cases over the past few days.
Duggan says these results should be credited to Detroit residents holding each other accountable.
“What the people of this community has done to knock this virus down has been pretty inspiring. When you look at the trend lines, we are making enormous progress…There is no question the progress we’re making is because of the people in the city of Detroit honoring the requests for social distancing.”
Assistant Chief of Police, James White, also expressed his gratitude to the community for cooperating. Unlike other areas of the country, Detroit has not been forced to shutdown parks to the public.
Now the mayor is shifting more attention to the city’s elderly population. The Michigan Chronicle previously reported on Detroit’s partnership with Wayne State University medical students to test nursing home staff and residents.
Since then, in two nursing homes 30 percent have tested positive for the virus and 50 percent tested positive in another nursing home. Additionally, 50 percent tested positive without showing any symptoms of the virus.
“It’s becoming clear now, that’s where our most vulnerable population is,” said Duggan.
Over the next 10 days, 240 tests will be given to nursing home residents and staff each day.
Over the past three weeks, approximately 10,000 people have been tested for COVID-19.
In addition to a physical recovery, Mayor Duggan is also making plans for a financial recovery. Detroit is facing a deficit of $100 million in the current fiscal year and Duggan says it will have an impact on 9,000 city employees.
Tuesday at 7 PM, he will give a live address on channel 10. Duggan will layout and present proposals to address the city’s deficit.
Click HERE to access channel 10.
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