437 new coronavirus cases brings week's tally lower than last week

The state reported 437 new confirmed cases of coronavirus Saturday, making this week's total lower than last week but still the second highest week in nine weeks. 

The state also reported 14 new deaths, but eight of those are believed to have occurred prior to Friday. The eight additional deaths were reported after the state matched death certificates in which COVID-19 was a contributing factor with positive coronavirus tests. 

The new cases and deaths bring the weekly total since Sunday to 3,798 cases and 48 deaths. Last week's totals were 4,232 cases and 50 deaths.

The weekly death total from Sunday to Saturday is the lowest since March.

The percentage of COVID-19 tests returning positive results – a key metric for monitoring the prevalence of the virus – was not available Saturday due to a technical error but should be reported Sunday. 

Between Sunday and Thursday, 3.69% of tests had come back positive, up from last week's percentage of 3.5%.

The state's overall tally reached 76,978 confirmed cases Saturday and the death count 6,149, according to data from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. The new cumulative total reflects 16 deaths that were removed after data entry errors were discovered individuals who were not dead were counted as deceased. 

"Reviews are being conducted as part of ongoing efforts to ensure data quality and accurate case and death reporting in Michigan," the state health department said on its website Saturday. 

The state also reported that, as of Friday, 57,502 people are considered recovered from the virus because they are still alive 30 days after first experiencing symptoms. 

The state also recorded an additional 113 probable deaths linked to the virus and two probable cases.

Probable deaths include individuals who never tested positive for the virus but whose death certificate listed COVID-19 as the cause of death. Probable cases are recorded when a person has coronavirus symptoms along with recent contact with a COVID- positive individual or a positive antibody test, but don't have a positive COVID-19 test. 

The Detroit Health Department reported Saturday that another 12 Detroit summer school students tested negative for coronavirus, bringing the total number of students tested to 331. Of those tested, 2, or less than 1%, have tested positive. 

The testing of the district's 630 to 650 summer school students follows a federal judge's Tuesday ruling in which he ordered the students be tested for the virus after social justice, teacher and parent groups sued to keep the school district closed while cases continued to rise in Michigan. 

eleblanc@detroitnews.com