DETROIT – As COVID-19 tests across the state take a week or more to return results, the city of Detroit has received a shipment of tests that give results in minutes.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan announced during his Wednesday, April 1 news conference that the city received a shipment of test kits from Abbott Laboratories earlier in the day. Tests, which can return results in 15 minutes, will be reserved for Detroit police, firefighters, EMTs and bus drivers, Duggan said.

Detroit will be the first city in the nation to receive the rapid tests to use on city employees, Duggan said.

"The only test, at least that the FDA says is accurate before symptoms, is the Abbott instant tests that we'll be putting in place, here," Duggan said.

The city expects to start using the tests in the next 24 hours, he said.

So far, 91 employees from the Detroit Police Department have tested positive for COVID-19, including 76 officers and 15 other employees, Duggan said. The fire department has 17 employees who've tested positive.

Many more remain in quarantine – 525 police officers and 136 fire department workers. There have been 120 police officers who’ve returned from quarantine so far, Duggan said.

Luckily, crime numbers are down in the city in recent days, Duggan said, and the 911 response time on Tuesday night was about 10 minutes.

“We are benefiting enormously from a major reduction in crime and 911 calls, resulting from the shelter-in-place order,” Duggan said.

The new drive-thru COVID-19 testing center at the old Michigan State Fairgrounds is up and running, with 600 people tested through part of Wednesday, and 3,000 more people with scheduled appointments. The city is working to set up safe transportation for people to get to the testing center, who need a ride.

The city is expecting 200,000 swabs from FEMA, Duggan said he was told by U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, "but so far, nobody's spotted the FEMA truck." Duggan hopes Detroit can be testing 1,000 people per day by the end of next week.

Detroit has 2,472 cases of the virus and 83 deaths, as of 10 a.m. Wednesday. Michigan has 9,334 positive cases and 337 deaths.

Detroit’s been hit harder than most places because the virus was introduced here first, Duggan said. He wishes the city would have starting taking precautions – like taking temperature of police officers and having them keep their distance – sooner.

Much has changed in how people perceive their own health behaviors, just in recent weeks, Duggan said. He has taken to wearing a mask on walks between his vehicle and buildings if he thinks he might come in contact with someone.

"The world is never going to be the same," Duggan said. "We are probably never going to shake hands and hug as quickly as we did before. We're probably going to wash our hands far more frequently.

“What our long-term change of behavior is, I think we’re going to all discover together.”

PREVENTION TIPS

In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.

Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible.

Carry hand sanitizer with you, and use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and when you go into places like stores.

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