‘Up North’ May be the New Hotbed for Coronavirus in Michigan [VIDEO]

A research group says Michigan is once again at a 'high risk' for another coronavirus outbreak. Covid Act Now measures each state's vulnerability to spreading COVID-19 and has moved our state from a 'medium risk' designation to being at 'high risk' for another wave of the disease.

Believe it or not, Michigan's Upper Peninsula factors heavily into the new designation. While the U.P. averages just 66 new cases each day, its sparse population means the rate of infection is about 311 cases per million people, a rate of nearly double that of other parts of the state.

According to this breakdown of Michigan's counties, many of the counties considered at risk of an imminent outbreak are located in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

The UP has routinely been one of the regions in Michigan considered 'safest' in the state with fewer cases and a lower infection rate. But now, Michigan's Safe Start Map puts it at the highest risk -- saying that the number of cases is about double the number that would give it a 'Level E' rating.

Compare that to Genesee County (which is lumped into the Detroit region), currently getting a 'Level C' rating. Our region reports a daily average of 51 new cases per million people.

Note that this data published on the Michigan Safe Start Map reports risk levels for spread of the epidemic and is different from the state's economic recovery phases associated with the Michigan Safe Start Plan.