Hundreds of Detroit-area hospital workers have tested positive for the coronavirus, and reports suggest there may be more cases to come.
Dr. Adnan Munkarah — the chief clinical officer of Detroit’s Henry Ford Health System — released a statement confirming more than 700 employees tested positive for coronavirus. Approximately 2,500 employees have been tested which accounts for an estimated 2% of employees out of 31,600.
Munkarah also noted during Monday’s conference call with reporters that there is a strong possibility more employees may have the virus.
“If we are to test the whole population, you are going to see large numbers of people who are testing positive,” Munkarah said. “Testing positive is just a measure of how contagious this virus is.”
The Henry Ford Hospital System is one of several Detroit-area hospitals facing a surge in coronavirus cases.
More than 1,500 people at Detroit’s largest hospital system have reported symptoms consistent with coronavirus although they have not yet been tested.
Beaumont health has 1,500 workers with coronavirus symptoms, including 500 nurses https://t.co/5XOrGg2GAH
— Jonathan Oosting (@jonathanoosting) April 7, 2020
At Henry Ford Health System, 734 employees have tested positive for #coronavirus https://t.co/2HH9JBA9Cj
Munkarah’s conference call comes less than a week after the Henry Ford Hospital System reported its first coronavirus-related employee death. The nurse’s passing led to questions concerning the health of frontline medical staff in the Detroit-area.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services had been pressed for specifics about employees’ health amid the coronavirus outbreak including whether or not staff members were working while sick. The department stated that it did not keep track of those statistics.
However, Munkarah noted that the health and safety of the staff remain “a top priority” amid their efforts to combat the coronavirus.
“Our team members are our greatest asset and their health and safety is a top priority as we continue to respond to this pandemic,” Munkarah said in the statement, later adding, “We know we are not immune to potential exposure and we remain grateful for the courage and dedication of our entire team.”
Michigan has more than 17,000 cases statewide, as of Tuesday morning. It is the third state with the most reported cases of coronavirus.