The number of people diagnosed with the coronavirus COVID-19 in Michigan continues to rise, reaching 549 on March 20.

Michigan’s first two COVID-19 cases were reported on March 10. Ten days later, the infectious disease has been linked to the death of three people and spread across much of the Lower Penninsula.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services reported 334 cases during its daily update on Thursday, March 19. The number drastically increased with the inclusion of commercial and clinical lab results.

MDHHS is receiving reports from commercial labs LabCorp and Quest Diagnostics and several clinical labs, including Sparrow Hospital in Lansing, the Beaumont Hospital Network, Henry Ford Health System and the MDHHS Bureau of Laboratories.

Twenty counties are home to a resident who contracted coronavirus. Most of the new cases were reported in Oakland County and the city of Detroit.

Oakland and Wayne counties continue to record the highest number of confirmed cases. Seventy-two percent of Michigan’s cases are among residents of those two counties.

There are 216 confirmed cases in Wayne County as of March 20 -- including 149 in the city of Detroit -- and 184 cases in Oakland County.

Macomb County recorded 86 cases. Nineteen of Michigan’s 83 counties are now home to a resident who has been infected by the coronavirus.

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The number of tests did not increase in the state’s Friday update.

There were been 2,499 tests conducted as of March 19, according to the state. That includes 744 from hospitals and 148 from commercial labs. MDHHS has performed 1,557 tests as of March 19.

Beaumont Health began sharing daily updates about its testing operation on Thursday, March 19. It reported 3,397 tests, with 1,030 being complete.

Of the 1,030 tests that came back, 250 were positive. Beaumont hospitalized 86 patients and sent 164 home.

The first COVID-19 case was reported on March 10. Three Michigan residents who tested positive for the coronavirus died on Wednesday, March 18.

A man in his 50s with underlying health conditions died at a Beaumont Hospital in Wayne County. Another woman in her 50s with underlying health conditions died at McLaren Oakland Hospital in Pontiac.

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An 81-year-old patient died at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit Wednesday.

Whitmer declared a state of emergency on March 10 after the first cases were identified. She has since closed schools, bars, restaurants and other establishments to prevent COVID-19 from spreading further.

Whitmer is not considering a statewide lockdown. The governor reiterated in multiple media interviews on Thursday and Friday that she was not considering issuing a shelter-in-place order.

There have been nearly 15,219 cases of the coronavirus and 201 deaths in the United States, according to the Center for Disease Control.

Every state in the country has reported a COVID-19 case. States with the highest number of cases include Washington, New York, California, New Jersey and Illinois.

Coronavirus symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath. Many infected people exhibit mild symptoms and don’t necessarily need to be tested or treated in-person, as there’s currently no known vaccine or cure for the disease.

Read all of MLive’s coverage on the coronavirus at mlive.com/coronavirus. Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

PREVENTION TIPS

Michigan’s State Emergency Operations Center is coordinating state-government resources and the response to the coronavirus spread. It has shared the following tips:

What you can do to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases:

· Always cover coughs or sneezes with a tissue or sleeve.

· Stay home if you are sick and advise others to do the same.

· Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

· Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.

· Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.

· Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, if soap and warm water are not available.

· Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces(computers, keyboards, desks, etc.).

· It’s not too late to get your flu shot! While the influenza vaccine does not protect against COVID-19 infection, it can help keep you healthy during the flu season.

Read more on MLive:

Friday, March 20: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan

‘Number of people’ on life support with coronavirus, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says

Michigan not considering coronavirus shelter-in-place order, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says

Looking for coronavirus case numbers in Michigan? Why official data lags

Complete coverage at mlive.com/coronavirus