Allegan County Friday reached the grim milestone of 50 deaths due to the Coronavirus since the pandemic began last March.

The number of Covid-19 virus deaths grew from 46 to 50 from Monday through Friday this week, according to the Allegan County Health Department.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Friday afternoon announced a relaxation of restrictions, which allows schools to resume Monday, Jan. 4. High schools were ordered to be limited to on-line only on Nov. 18.

So Wayland and Hopkins will return to their hybrid instruction models Jan. 4 and Martin will resume all-day, five-day per week in-person classes.

The number of cases of the Coronavirus now is 5,311, with 142 hospitalizations and 3,313 regarded as being recovered.

Local schools are still operating on a health department grade of “D,” which is one step above having to resort to all virtual instruction. Hopkins and Wayland are operating on a hybrid system, with half of the students attending in person Mondays and Thursdays and the other half Tuesdays and Fridays. Wednesdays are reserved for all on-line and interventions.

Martin has been undergoing an in-person model five days a week.

Despite the recent spike in deaths, the rate of increase in cases lately in Michigan has been going down.