Coronavirus

Detroit Holds Memorial Day For COVID-19 Victims

Detroit has recorded more than 13,000 cases of COVID 19.

Detroit Holds Memorial Day For COVID-19 Victims
Carlos Osorio / AP
SMS

The city of Detroit held a Memorial Day to honor the hundreds of residents who have died from COVID-19. 

Families honored the victims by driving in 15 consecutive funeral processions past hundreds of billboard-sized photos of their loved ones. 

Michigan has seen more than 100,000 cases of COVID-19 and more than 6,750 people have died. In Detroit alone, there have been more than 13,000 cases and at least 1,500 deaths.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer said the state must do a better job at handling the virus as an ode to victims. She also highlighted how the state will work to protect communities of color who may be disproportionately affected by COVID-19.

She said, "We cannot say we're fighting this virus effectively if we don't include a sharp focus on protecting communities of color. Today as we honor Detroiters who've been lost to this virus, I want to reiterate our commitments to studying the glaring inequities and leading an agenda out of this that addresses them."

The memorial will be open to the public Tuesday and Wednesday.