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

ALPENA — The coronavirus has roared through Northeast Michigan since Halloween — with infections increasing more than 400% as of Thursday — but the situation could be far more dire than we realize.

That’s because, on a per-capita basis, Northeast Michiganders are among the least-tested in the state.

As of Wednesday, 8,584 tests for COVID-19 infection had been performed in Alpena County, according to state data. Based on population, that’s the lowest testing rate in the state.

Presque Isle County’s 6,146 tests rank 66th out Michigan’s 83 counties plus the city of Detroit, which the state records separately, according to a News analysis of state data. Montmorency County’s 3,841 tests rank 74th, and Alcona County’s 3,874 tests rank 80th.

Free tests are available by appointment at the Walgreens in Alpena.

Local public health officials on Thursday — 250 days since the first Northeast Michigander was infected — reported 27 new infections, including 19 Alpena County residents, five Presque Isle County residents, and three Alcona County residents.

As of Thursday, 1,341 Northeast Michiganders were actively infected, meaning they’d been confirmed infected with COVID-19 but have not recovered or died, and could infect others.

That number could be significantly higher.

Public health officials, who have pleaded with the public to stay home when they’re sick and to help with contact tracing, say as high as 40% of infected people show no symptoms but can still infect others.

Since the pandemic hit Michigan in mid-March, 1,618 Northeast Michiganders have been infected, according to local public health agencies. Of those, 247 have recovered and 30 have died.

The last death was reported Tuesday.

Despite those staggering numbers, a News analysis of infection and death rates shows most of the rest of the state has been hit harder than Northeast Michigan.

But it’s unclear whether better testing would change that picture.

One good indicator: As of Thursday 16 COVID-19 patients, four of whom were in intensive care, were hospitalized at MidMichigan Medical Center-Alpena, according to state data. The Alpena hospital was 33% full, 106th out of the 134 hospitals statewide, according to state data.

Statewide, hospitals were 78% full.

As of Thursday, 130 people were hospitalized with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 infection across the state-designated, 18-county health care region that includes Alpena, Presque Isle, and Montmorency counties, according to state data. Based on population, that ranked sixth out of the state’s eight health care regions.

The hardest-hit hospitals were in the 13-county region that includes Saginaw, Bay, and Midland counties — and Alcona County.

DEATHS: 56th

About 49 out of every 100,000 Northeast Michiganders has died after being infected with the coronavirus, ranking 56th out of the 83 counties plus Detroit, according to a news analysis of state and local public health department data. The per-capita rate is higher than the actual number of deaths because there are fewer than 100,000 residents across the region.

Alpena County’s death rate ranks 47th, Presque Isle County’s 78th, Montmorency County’s 790th, and Alcona County’s 42nd.

The virus has been most fatal to the Upper Peninsula’s Baraga County, where 294 out of every 100,000 residents have died after being infected with the coronavirus.

Statewide, 96 out of every 100,000 Michiganders has died.

CASES: 65th

About 2,651 out of every 100,000 Northeast Michiganders have been infected with the coronavirus, ranking 65th.

Alpena County’s infection rate ranks 58th, Presque Isle County’s 63rd, Montmorency County 70th, and Alcona County 72nd.

The hardest-hit in Michigan is Dickinson County in the Upper Peninsula, where about 196 out of every 100,000 residents have been infected.

Statewide, 3,790 Michiganders have been infected with the coronavirus.