UPDATE: GM employee tests positive for coronavirus

A General Motors employee, who works at the Global Technical Center in Warren, has tested positive for the coronavirus.

The center said the employee works out of the fifth floor of the Cole Engineering Center and was last there on Thursday, March 12.

The center said GM Medical has been in contact with the family and the center has put an emergency response plan into action.

GM released a statement to News 10 regarding the virus:

"Since January, we have been taking decisive action around the world to prevent the spread of coronavirus because the health and safety of our employees and everyone who enters our facilities is our top priority. We learned today that an employee who works at the Cole Engineering Center in Warren has tested positive for the virus.

We have been in contact with the family and put our emergency response plan into action, building on the preventive measures we have already taken, which include directing employees at the Cole Technical Center and other sites to work remotely if possible.

In addition, our medical team is contacting individuals who may have had direct contact at work with the affected employee. They will be directed to self-quarantine for 14 days and the GM medical team will help them coordinate care if they develop symptoms. We have been in contact with public health officials and we have moved quickly to deep clean and disinfect work and common areas at the site. Going forward, we will continue to take aggressive steps to help prevent the spread of the virus and keep families safe."

On Monday, Ingham County health officials confirmed two new cases of coronavirus. These cases are not included in the total number of coronavirus cases, which is 54.

The state will begin a new method of reporting on Tuesday, March 17.

Cases and deaths will be counted by county, and measured by gender and age range.

The Michigan Department of Health says it will no longer report the number of pending tests, or the number of people under investigation.

MDHHS will now provide daily web updates at 2 p.m.

-Washtenaw County, three adult males, all with a history of international travel.

-Detroit, adult female with unknown travel history.

-Oakland County, adult female with contact with a person with COVID-19.

-Detroit, adult female with contact with a person with COVID-19.

-Macomb County, adult female with unknown travel history.

-Oakland County, male child with contact with a person with COVID-19

-Kent County, adult male with unknown travel history and unknown contact history.

-Oakland County, adult male with unknown travel and contact history.

-Wayne County, adult male with unknown travel and contact history.

-Ottawa County, adult female with unknown travel and contact history.

-St. Clair County, adult female with contact with a person with COVID-19.

-Macomb County, two adult males with no travel or contact reported.

-Wayne County, adult male with no travel or contact reported.

-Oakland County, adult male with international travel history.

-Oakland County, adult male with no history of travel or contacts.

-Detroit, adult female with no history of travel or contacts.

-Kent County, adult male with history of domestic travel.

-Macomb County, adult female with history of domestic travel.

-Detroit, adult male with history of domestic travel and contact with someone with a confirmed case.

-Oakland County, adult male with history of domestic travel.

-Oakland County, adult male with unknown travel history.

-Oakland County, adult female with history of contact with someone with a confirmed case.

-Macomb County, adult male with no known travel history and no known contact with someone with a confirmed case.

-Monroe County, adult female with history of domestic travel.

-Wayne County, adult female with unknown travel history and no known contact with someone with a confirmed case.

-Washtenaw County, adult female with history of contact with symptomatic person who had international travel history.

-An adult female from Detroit with unknown travel history.

-An adult male from Washtenaw County with history of international travel.

-An adult female from Wayne County with history of contact with a confirmed case.

-An adult male. No additional information is available on this case at this time. Updated information will be provided as it is available.

-An adult male from Bay County with history domestic travel.

-An adult female from Charlevoix County with history of international travel.

-An adult female from Detroit with history of international travel.

-An adult male from Macomb County with history of international travel.

-Two adult females and an adult male from Oakland County, one with history of international travel two with unknown travel history.

-Two adult females from Wayne County, one with history of domestic and the other with no history of travel.

-An adult female from Ingham County with history of travel on a cruise.

-Two adult females from Kent County and one adult male, all with history of international travel.

-An adult female from Montcalm with history of international travel.

-Two adult males from Oakland County; one with no travel history and one with domestic travel.

-An adult male from St. Clair County with history of domestic travel.

-One adult female and one adult male from Washtenaw County; one with history of domestic travel and one with history of international travel.

-One adult female from Oakland County with history of recent international travel

-One adult male from Wayne County with history of recent domestic travel

-Bay: 1

-Charlevoix: 1

-Detroit: 6

-Ingham: 1

-Kent: 5

-Macomb: 6

-Monroe: 1

-Montcalm: 1

-Oakland: 14

-Ottawa: 1

-St. Clair: 2

-Washtenaw: 7

-Wayne: 8

On Monday, March 16, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed an executive order temporarily closing theaters, bars, casinos and limiting restaurants to carry-out and delivery orders.

Gov. Whitmer's office said the order applies to restaurants, cafes, coffee houses, bars, taverns, brewpubs, distilleries, clubs, movie theaters, indoor and outdoor performance venues, gymnasiums, fitness centers, recreation centers, indoor sports facilities, indoor exercise facilities, exercise studios, spas, and casinos.

The governor's office said the order does not apply to these locations: office buildings, grocery stores, markets, food pantries, pharmacies, drug stores, and providers of medical equipment and supplies, health care facilities, residential care facilities, congregate care facilities, and juvenile justice facilities, warehouse and distribution centers, and industrial and manufacturing facilities.

The restriction is in place until Monday, March 30 at 11:59 p.m.

To view the full order, click

The governor has also expanded

benefits amidst the coronavirus.

Several Mid-Michigan communities have declared a state of emergency in response to the coronavirus including, the City of Lansing, Lansing Township, Delhi Township, the City of East Lansing, Eaton County, City of Jackson and Delta Township.

The City of Jackson says it has implemented 10 handwashing and sanitizing stations throughout the city. A full list of those can be found by clicking to the right of this article.

Delta Township said township parks will remain open, but the public is encouraged to use social distancing.

On Tuesday, Lansing Catholic High School announced it is providing free breakfast and lunch to any school-age children. The free breakfast and lunch is not limited to their students.

The school said meals cannot be eaten on-site. For more information, click

On Monday, President Donald Trump and his administration advised the American people to avoid gathers larger than 10 people and cancel discretionary travel, among other social distancing guidelines, in a bid to slow the coronavirus outbreak.

The White House is recommending that older people and those with underlying health conditions “stay home and away from other people” as it continues to step up efforts to halt the spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The White House is laying out steps it is encouraging Americans to take as part of a campaign that it is calling, “15 days to slow the spread.”

As numbers for the coronavirus continue to change, there are steps residents can take to prevent the spread of flu and the common cold that will also help prevent coronavirus disease, including:

• Washing your hands with soap and water.

• Avoiding touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.

• Covering your mouth and nose with a tissue or upper sleeve when coughing or sneezing.

• Avoiding contact with people who are sick.

• Staying home if you are sick and contact your healthcare provider.

COVID-19 symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure to the virus. They include:

• Fever

• Cough

• Shortness of breath

The state of Michigan has set up a coronavirus hotline, 1-888-535-6136, for those who have questions about the virus. The hotline is open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

To view a map of the global cases of coronavirus, click