Fall semester vs. spring semester: COVID-19 cases and response Mar. 7- East Lansing- A mask on the ground that says the word "Spartans" on it. — Photo by Jillian Felton | The State News Since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic last March, the Ingham County Health Department has recorded more than 16,000 cases of coronavirus. While a number of factors contribute to various spikes and outbreaks in the county, the Michigan State University community has proven to be a prominent contributor. Ingham County is made up of 12 towns and cities, including Lansing and East Lansing. Around 3,400 of total Ingham County cases are students or faculty of the university. This does not include positive cases from individuals tested outside of Ingham County or self-reported positive cases.