Courtesy Image An illustration of the coronavirus provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

ALPENA — For four lucky weeks, as the coronavirus spread downstate and hospitalized thousands in Southeast Michigan, Northeast Michigan remained one of the few fortunate areas of the state with zero known infected residents.

But, in the three weeks since the region’s first case was reported on April 6, 79 residents from the region have become infected, 60 of them Alpena County residents, more than half of whom reside at MediLodge of Alpena.

So, how bad is it here? What’s our level of preparedness?

Below is a look at where Northeast Michigan stands compared to elsewhere in the state, based on the most recent available data:

4TH HIGHEST IN INFECTION

Combined, Alpena, Presque Isle, Montmorency, and Alcona counties reported 129 infected residents per 100,000 (the infection rate is higher than the actual number of infections because fewer than 100,000 people live in the region).

If Northeast Michigan were treated as a single county, its infection rate would be the fourth-highest among the state’s 43 most rural counties (those with 50,000 or fewer residents).

Alpena County’s rate of 210 per 100,000 residents makes it fourth-highest among rural counties. Presque Isle County’s rate of 70 per 100,000 makes it 11th. Montmorency County’s rate of 65 per 100,000 makes it 12th. Alcona County’s rate of 39 per 100,000 makes it 22nd.

Compared to all counties in the state, Northeast Michigan would rank 23rd. The statewide infection rate is 367 per 100,000 residents.

As of Friday, five of Michigan’s 83 counties — all in the Upper Peninsula — still reported no infected residents.

8TH HIGHEST IN DEATHS

As of Friday, two coronavirus-infected Alpena County residents had died, according to local public health officials. No residents of Presque Isle, Montmorency, or Alcona counties are known to have died while infected with the coronavirus.

Those two deaths give the county a mortality rate of seven per 100,000 residents, eighth among rural Michigan counties and 27th among all counties.

LAST IN TESTING

Testing, which public health officials say must be rolled out broadly before things can return to a version of normal, is not easily tracked by county.

The state reports tests performed by each of its eight regional health care coalitions. Each coalition includes multiple counties.

Alpena, Presque Isle, and Montmorency counties are part of the Region 7 Coalition, which had performed 580 tests per 100,000 residents as of Wednesday, the least among the eight coalitions.

Alcona County is part of Region 3, which had performed 972 tests per 100,000 residents as of Wednesday, fourth-most among the eight regions.

4TH IN CRITICAL CARE HOSPITALIZATIONS

Hospitalization data, too, is reported based on the state’s regional health care coalitions.

As of Thursday, Region 7 had about five per 100,000 residents in critical care with COVID-19, fourth-highest among the eight coalitions. Region 3 had 11 per 100,000 residents in critical care, third-highest among the eight coalitions.

Region 7 had fewer than 1 per 100,000 residents on ventilators, second-least among the eight coalitions. Region 3 had seven per 100,000 residents on ventilators, third-most among the eight coalitions.

LAST IN AVAILABLE ICU

Region 7 had 17 ICU beds available per 100,000 residents as of Thursday, least among the eight coalitions. Region 3 had 34 ICU beds available per 100,000 residents, second-most among the eight coalitions.

In all hospital beds, Region 7 was sixth among the coalitions, with 213 beds available per 100,000 residents. Region 3 was second among the coalitions, with 284 beds available per 100,000 residents.

In available ventilators, a key piece of equipment needed to treat the most seriously ill coronavirus-infected patients, Region 7 ranks fifth among the eight coalitions, with 20 ventilators available per 100,000 residents. Region 3 ranked sixth, with 18 ventilators available per 100,000 residents.

5TH IN AVAILABLE MASKS

Hospitals, nursing homes, and other health care facilities have pleaded with state and federal officials for more personal protective equipment, such as N95 face masks, that can protect both patients and heatlh care workers from infection.

Region 7 had 12,663 N95 masks per 100,000 residents as of Friday, fifth-highest among the eight health care coalitions. Region 3 had 14,011 N95 masks per 100,000 residents, third-highest among the eight coalitions.

Region 7 had 8,062 face shields per 100,000 residents as of Friday, second-most among the eight coalitions. Region 3 had 4,096 face shields per 100,000 residents, second-least among the eight coalitions.