News Photo by Julie Riddle Chairs are overturned on tables at the Mancino’s Pizza and Grinders in Alpena on Wednesday as restaurants pushed to survive the state-ordered closure of their dining rooms amid the coronavirus pandemic. That was just one of several ripple effects of mandated “social distancing” felt throughout the area this week.

ALPENA — MidMichigan Medical Center-Alpena’s president is confident in the hospital’s ability to handle the coronavirus outbreak, but is concerned about staffing levels and the availability of supplies.

As the statewide tally of confirmed coronavirus cases topped 100 and the state reported its first death on Wednesday, there remained no confirmed cases in Northeast Michigan.

District Health Department No. 4, which serves the region, reported Wednesday afternoon 42 tests had been submitted to the state. Negative results have come back for two of those cases, while 40 of patients still were waiting for results.

Meanwhile, the ripple effects of “social distancing” mandates continued to ripple throughout the region:

∫ A growing number of government buildings, utilities, banks, and others closed their offices to the public, requiring residents to use mail, drop boxes, and drive-thrus. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed an executive order on Wednesday allowing government boards to meet without the public present, provided officials make audio or video of the meeting available.

News Photo by Meakalia Previch-Liu Alpena Public Schools staff members and volunteers on Wednesday prepare to give out prepackaged meals at Alpena High School.

∫ Alpena Community College announced it would postpone summer and fall class registration.

∫ Several area restaurant owners, their dining rooms ordered closed by the state, reported many residents are supporting them through carryout orders, but more is needed for them to stay afloat. Several restaurant employees have been sent home.

∫ Schools continued efforts to provide meals to students while schools are ordered closed. Talks are underway between state and local officials for ways to provide child care. Whitmer signed an executive order late Wednesday easing regulatory requirements to make it easier to provide child care for health care workers, first responders and others in the “essential workforce.”

∫ McLaren Northern Michigan announced it is only testing hospitalized patients for the coronavirus.

∫ The state announced cash payments will no longer be accepted for crossing the Mackinac Bridge.

A Southgate man in his 50s was the state’s first reported death, the Detroit Free Press reported.

Confirmed infections of people from northern Michigan included patients from Charlevoix, Leelanau, and Otsego counties as of midnight Tuesday, the state reported Wednesday afternoon.

Chuck Sherwin, president of the Alpena hospital, said Wednesday the hospital has 139 beds and typically 55 to 60 patients a day, so beds are available for patients. He said the question ends up being whether there are enough nurses and doctors.

If the hospital had 120 patients, for example, it “would clearly tax our ability to take care of patients.”

Sherwin reported “slightly more activity” in the hospital’s emergency department, in line with a typical flu season.

While the hospital is set for now, Sherwin worries about how much toilet paper and hand sanitizer remains available to the hospital and its access to personal protective equipment such as masks and gowns for hospital staff.

“There’s always the concern of staffing and supplies related to the volume of patients that we need to care for,” he said. “We’re in a health system, so we can be moving people within the health system, if we need to do that, but those are the things that are on my mind.”

The Alpena hospital is part of the Midland-based MidMichigan Health, which also owns hospitals in Clare, Gladwin, Alma, Midland, Mount Pleasant, and West Branch, plus several clinics throughout the state.

Sherwin said the hospital is seeing a lot of patients with the flu or strep throat, which have symptoms similar to the coronavirus. Patients should call their primary care physician or the emergency room before showing up to the hospital for a coronavirus test.

If someone has a temperature of 100.4 degrees or higher, they should reach out to their physician or the emergency room, he said.

“We’re trying not to inundate ourselves with a bunch of people that don’t need to be admitted to the hospital and it’s not an emergency,” he said. “(We’re) really trying to force people to connect with their primary care physicians that have road maps to walk the patient through to really see what we’re going to do for them.”

The hospital has also set up a mobile unit outside of its emergency room to screen and test patients who think they have the coronavirus.

Once a person is tested for coronavirus, they are required to self-isolate until their test results come back from the state.

Denise Bryan, administrative health officer for District Health Departments No. 2 and No. 4, serving Northeast Michigan, told the No. 4 board on Tuesday it can take up to five days for results to come back.

On Wednesday, Bryan said the state’s turnaround time had caused the Health Department to rethink its strategy for those who are isolated while awaiting test results.

“We’re going to shift our focus to all of the people in isolation, making sure they’re getting their needs met, because the testing at the state is taking longer,” Bryan said. “As of today, they have added a second shift of testing at the lab, but they continue to have tests in the queue waiting to be run.”

Bryan also reported the Health Department was notified on Wednesday that a family in Cheboygan County had returned from traveling abroad and were being monitored by the Health Department.

So far, the family is healthy and has no symptoms.

Crystal Nelson can be reached at 989-358-5687 or cnelson@thealpenanews.com. News staff writers Meakalia Previch-Liu and Julie Riddle contributed to this report.

Call ahead before going out

Efforts to slow or prevent the spread of the coronavirus in Michigan has prompted the cancellation or postponement of several events, the closure of several businesses, the suspension of several services, and further restrictions. Before going out, call ahead to find out if the place you intend to visit has been affected.

If you think you are experiencing symptoms of the coronavirus, call the hospital before visiting the emergency room to get instructions.

More information is available at michigan.gov/coronavirus or by calling 888-535-6136.