UPDATE: The state erroneously reported two confirmed cases, one in Genesee County and one in Isabella County, that have been since removed from the state database.

The number of people diagnosed with the coronavirus COVID-19 in Michigan dramatically increased with the inclusion of commercial and clinical lab results, reaching 334 on March 19.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services reported 80 cases during its daily update on Wednesday, March 18. State officials said that number did not include more cases found through private testing that has become more available as hospitals begin offering COVID-19 screening.

“We are pleased to announce that we are now able to provide testing results from hospitals and other entities outside of our state laboratory,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health. “We knew there were additional people in Michigan with COVID-19 that had not yet been tested. This emphasizes the need to continue to practice social distancing and other community mitigation practices to help slow the spread of this disease.”

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.

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

There were 203 cases identified by hospitals or universities, and 131 found by MDHHS, with two cases coming from commercial labs.

Oakland and Wayne counties continue to record the highest number of confirmed cases. There are 119 confirmed cases in Wayne County as of March 19 -- including 75 in the city of Detroit -- and 105 cases in Oakland County.

Macomb County recorded 55 cases. Nineteen of Michigan’s 83 counties are now home to a resident who has been infected by the coronavirus.

The first COVID-19 case was reported on March 10, just over one week ago. 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.

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

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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.

There have been nearly 10,500 cases of the coronavirus and 150 deaths in the United States, according to the Center for Disease Control. States with the highest number of cases include Washington, New York, California, New Jersey and Florida.

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:

Complete coverage at mlive.com/coronavirus

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