Coronavirus cases in Michigan up to 12, Whitmer announces school closures across the state

LANSING — State health officials confirmed there are now 10 additional cases of coronavirus in Michigan, bringing the state total to 12 as of Thursday night.

On Thursday, Governor Whitmer announced that in order to slow the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Michigan, she is ordering the closure of all K-12 school buildings, public, private and boarding, to students starting Monday, March 16 until Sunday, April 5. School buildings are scheduled to reopen on Monday, April 6.

The 10 new cases include:
A woman from Ingham County with a history of travel on a cruise.
Two women from Kent County and one man, all with histories of international travel.
A woman from Montcalm with a history of international travel.
Two men from Oakland County; one with no travel history and one with domestic travel history.
A man from St. Clair County with a history of domestic travel.
One woman and one man from Washtenaw County; one with a history of domestic travel and one with a history of international travel.

Whitmer addressed the new developments at a press conference at 11 p.m. on Thursday:

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“This is a necessary step to protect our kids, our families, and our overall public health,” Whitmer said. “I am working with partners across state government to ensure educators, parents and students have the support they need during this time, and to ensure our children who rely on school for meals have access to food.

“I know this will be a tough time, but we’re doing this to keep the most people we can safe. I urge everyone to make smart choices during this time and to do everything they can to protect themselves and their families.”

“Closing our K-12 school buildings is the responsible choice that will minimize the risk of exposure for children, educators and families and mitigate the spread of coronavirus,” said Michigan State Superintendent Michael Rice. “The Department of Education will continue to work closely with our partners in state government to help our students and educators in each school district get through this time. This is about protecting the most people in Michigan.”