Bah, Humbug: Viruses surge in Ann Arbor ahead of the holiday season

BY IRENA LI
December 4, 2022

Happy Monday! COVID-19 cases are down, respiratory syncytial virus and break-ins are up and the Wolverines are Big Ten Champions once again. As we round out the semester with the final A2 Outlook of 2022, we want to thank our dedicated readers for a wonderful year. Happy holidays, and we’ll see you all in 2023!

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An American flag is unfurled on the field of Michigan Stadium in remembrance of 9/11, as the Goodyear Blimp flies overhead. The Wolverines defeated the University of Washington, 31-10, in a ‘maize out’ game on Saturday. Luke Hales/Daily. Buy this photo.

BURNS PARK BREAK-INS: The University of Michigan’s Division of Public Safety and Security reported an increase in home invasions in Burns Park, an area where many students reside, between Nov. 20 and Nov. 27. In a statement issued on Wednesday, DPSS reported that the homes were likely entered by force and that there are no known suspects.

“If you have information, please contact the Ann Arbor Police Department Tip Line at (734) 794-6939 or tips@a2gov.org,” the statement reads.

LOW COVID TRANSMISSION: Washtenaw County is now at a “low” COVID-19 community level, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Washtenaw County Health Department reported 703 confirmed positive cases from Nov. 17 to Nov. 30, with the weekly case rate per 100,000 residents standing at 88.1 cases.

RSV SURGE: A surge in respiratory syncytial virus is causing long wait times in emergency rooms throughout southeast Michigan. 7 Action News reported that C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital has seen around 400 RSV cases in the past two months, leading hospital officials to anticipate a “tridemic” of flu, COVID-19 and RSV cases.

“We are continuing to see a lot of RSV in the emergency room and also in our inpatient floors,” Luane Thomas Ewald, Mott COO, said. “We are bracing for the flu to be hitting here very shortly as well.”

PIONEER SHUTDOWN: Pioneer High School closed down on Tuesday following a threat made against the school on social media, with officials saying classes were canceled out of an abundance of caution.

“The Pioneer and our District teams, working in partnership with the Ann Arbor Police Department, continue to work vigorously through a thorough investigation of this matter today, and we will hold those involved responsible,” AAPD Superintendent Janice Swift wrote in a statement.