(LANSING) – Michigan is seeing a leveling out of COVID-19 cases.

That was part of the message shared by Governor Gretchen Whitmer during a Thursday afternoon media update. Whitmer says the State hasn't been hit by the impact of travel that was done over the Thanksgiving weekend, and she warned there was a still a long way to go.

But Whitmer says Michigan could see a reduction in COVID-19 cases quickly if people would just continue to follow the protocols of wearing a mask, social distancing and washing their hands. ...... {LISTEN}.

Michigan Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun says while Michigan's infection rate was beginning to plateau once again, the COVID-19 positivity rates were five times higher at the beginning of December than just a couple of months ago.

Michigan saw more than 7,100 cases of COVID-19 and 175 deaths in the last 24 hours.

Whitmer was asked if she planned to extend the restrictions on businesses during the “Pause To Save Lives” order that was issued two weeks ago. ...... {LISTEN}.

The order is set to expired at 11:59 PM on December 8.