Ottawa County Seeing Scary COVID-19 Numbers

COVID-19 has health officials across Michigan very concerned and now Ottawa County are seeing some scary numbers of cases.

Health experts had been saying from the start of the pandemic that the country would see an increase in coronavirus cases in the fall and winter months and they predicted it right unfortunately.

According to WOOD, in this past weekend alone Michigan reported over 9000 new cases as we lost 62 more Michiganders to COVID-19.

Positivity rates are three and four times the rate health officials need to keep the virus in check and this is statewide.

As far as West Michigan is concerned, Kent and Ottawa counties are leading in positive cases with local hospitals starting to reach capacity and the weather has not really turned to full on winter...yet.

It's not surprising to me that cases are going through the roof in West Michigan. I work right downtown Grand Rapids and I have seen the change over the past few months with people wearing masks less and less. Large groups of people hanging out together downtown and carrying on like the pandemic has went away. Well it never left as we can all see in the increase in numbers of cases in the region.

Some of the area colleges have been named as some of the culprits in the increase in coronavirus cases. Both Grand Valley State University and Hope College continue to report more and more cases.

If sucks to have to give up things like hanging out with friends and some family. It sucks having to wear a mask and social distance and constantly wash our hands. But these are all small sacrifices that we all have to make to get these numbers down.

I hope getting the numbers down sooner than later becomes a priority for all. COVID-19 doesn't care if you are a Republican, Democrat or Independent. Put the election rhetoric behind you and listen to the health officials and hunker down and do the right things to contain the virus.