Here's the latest news on the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on the Detroit area and around Michigan.

What you need to know

Michigan records 164 new deaths due to COVID-19

An additional 164 Michigan residents have died in the novel coronavirus pandemic, according to state data.

The state reported the additional deaths and the state’s new 2,977 total death toll as of 10 a.m. Thursday, according to Michigan Department of Health and Human Services data.

The state also saw 1,325 new cases of coronavirus reported in the state as of Thursday. The total case count is now 35,291.

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FBI raids spa for alleged fraudulent coronavirus treatments

The Federal Bureau of Investigation raided Allure Medical Spa in Shelby Township on Thursday as part of an investigation into allegations that it provided fraudulent treatments for COVID-19

The clinic has been offering high dose, intravenous injections of vitamin C as treatment against the virus, according to a recent magazine article.

FBI Spokeswoman Mara Schneider said the investigation also includes allegations that the clinic "did not observe proper protocols to protect patients and staff from the virus."

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Michigan Legislature wants committee to oversee Whitmer's coronavirus response

In the midst of the continuing spread of the coronavirus in Michigan, the Michigan Legislature has scheduled a special session for Friday to create an oversight committee to examine how Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has responded to the crisis as well as consider bills that would strip the governor of some of her powers.

The extraordinary move, at a time when Whitmer is looking to extend her stay-at-home order past its May 1 expiration and encouraging all Michiganders to confine themselves to their homes as a way to stop the spread of the coronavirus, is a sign of an escalating rift with Republicans in the Legislature, who are eager to have her reopen the state's economy.

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GM to recall some plant workers next week to prep restart

General Motors intends to start calling in workers to its U.S. factories starting Monday to help prepare facilities to restart vehicle production amid the coronavirus pandemic.

But GM has not yet given a definitive date to resume production since agreeing to idle all its U.S. assembly plants in mid-March. Ford Motor Co. and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles also idled their U.S. plants, all in an effort to protect workers from the coronavirus. FCA has said it intends to restart production beginning May 4.

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First pets in U.S. test positive

The first pets in the United States have tested positive for coronavirus, federal authorities announced on Wednesday.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, two pet cats from New York state tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19). They both have mild respiratory illness and are expected to make a full recovery, the USDA said in news release.

The first cat showed signs of mild respiratory illness and was taken to a veterinarian, who then tested it. According to the USDA, no one in the cat's household was confirmed ill with COVID-19. They believe the virus may have been transmitted to the cat by asymptomatic family members or contact with a person outside of the home.

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La-Z-Boy has reopened some stores, plans to restart production next week

Monroe-based La-Z-Boy on Monday plans to resume partial production, which it shut down in March in response to the coronavirus outbreak, at several of its U.S.-based plants.

The company, known for its recliners and other residential furniture, said in a news release Wednesday that it is resuming production to "work through its existing backlog and to be able to service expected demand."

La-Z-Boy also announced that several of its retail locations in the United States have reopened in the last week on a reduced schedule "based on applicable state guidelines" and that it expects to open more in the coming weeks.

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The good and bad news about buying a car in the next few months

If you're considering a new or used car purchase, now may be the time to get a killer deal as the auto industry creeps out of the coronavirus shutdown and ramps up in the next month or so, industry experts say.

That's the good news.

The bad news: If you have a car to trade-in, you won't get as much for it. Wholesale used car values have plummeted and likely won't fully recover until later this year.

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Detroit students to get 50,000 laptops and free internet service

By early June, more than 50,000 Detroit students will have new tablet-style laptop computers with free internet access to facilitate online learning.

A $23 million fundraising effort begun three weeks ago will pay for the devices and connections, which became sorely needed as the coronavirus crisis forced schools to close their doors for the year.

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US Postal Service has taken a big hit during coronavirus pandemic

The mail is still getting through.

But, some residents say, at a very, very slow pace.

Workers are sick, afraid, and some have even died from COVID-19, said Roscoe Woods, president of American Postal Workers Union locals 480-481. Other workers are out because they need to care for children because the schools are closed.

And, he said, social distancing restrictions are slowing operations.

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Another casualty in the coronavirus pandemic: People who need drug rehab

It used to take Lisa Cottaneo-Boska less than 24 hours to get the drug addicts she helps into a residential rehab program.

But now, with the coronavirus pandemic raging and the environment ripe for relapse, wait times for inpatient rehab spots have grown to days and, in some cases, weeks — delays that can be deadly for addicts, especially those who use heroin. "If we can't get them in on the same day, we already know they're going to go out and use again," Cottaneo-Boska said.

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Metro Detroit boy's will to honor soldiers stronger than the coronavirus

It was the chance of a lifetime: 14-year-old Ian Kramp would lay the wreath at the Tomb of the Uknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., this week, an honor he had won through an essay contest.

But COVID-19 came along, and his school field trip was cancelled.

The Allen Park teenager, however, didn't let that ruin his plans to honor soldiers. He just did it closer to home.

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​​​​​Do you work in a nursing home or senior center affected by the coronavirus? Have you or your family personally been affected? We'd like to talk to you. Please email Chris Hall at chall@freepress.com or send secure (encrypted) email to chall99@protonmail.com.

Are you a health care worker concerned about personal protective equipment (PPE) or other issues during the coronavirus outbreak? We’d like to talk to you. Email Kristen Shamus@KristenShamus at kshamus@freepress.com or by secure (encrypted) email at kristenshamus@protonmail.com.

Do you have a family member or close friend who has died from COVID-19? We would like honor them. Please contact Georgea Kovanis at gkovanis@freepress.com to share their story.

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