Here’s our weekly round-up of what illnesses are spreading the most in Metro Detroit communities, according to our local doctors and hospitals.
WAYNE COUNTY – Seasonal allergies, insect bites, rashes, stomach viruses.
Dr. Ayed Mahmoud -- Trinity Health Livonia Emergency Medicine Physician
“We are seeing an increase in cases of gastroenteritis this week, with patients presenting with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps and dehydration. Fortunately, most cases are self-limited and improve with rest, hydration, electrolyte replacement and a bland diet at home. Patients should wash their hands frequently, avoid sharing drinks or utensils, and seek medical attention for severe dehydration, persistent fever, bloody stools or worsening symptoms.
“In addition, with severe thunderstorms expected in the area, we encourage everyone to stay weather aware, avoid flooded roads, secure outdoor items, and seek shelter indoors during lightning and high winds.”
Dr. Daniel Ridelman -- Emergency Department Vice Chief, DMC Harper University Hospital
“Respiratory viruses are definitely not going around anymore. Our positivity rate for both COVID and flu last week were 0% for the first time in a while. We keep seeing significant injuries from unrestrained patients in car accidents, including children, many of which are devastating and completely preventable. We also saw a small child who sustained scald burns after heating ramen soup in its original Styrofoam container. This is a bad idea on many levels, including microplastic ingestion, and is actually a common source of pediatric scald burns in our community.”
Dr. Kevin Dazy -- Pediatrician, Children’s Hospital of Michigan
“I would say there’s less going around, meaning flu/rsv/cold virus season is winding down. We’re still seeing some asthma exacerbations brought on by seasonal allergies and weather changes. And there are still some stomach bugs causing vomiting and diarrhea, but that seems to be on the decline as well. School is coming to an end, so it’s a good time to think about end of school checklists, like picking up medications from school and making sure summer physicals are getting scheduled for next year.”
Dr. Ali J. Bazzi -- Pediatrician, Corewell Health Dearborn Hospital
“We are continuing to see viral gastroenteritis. Patients are also coming in with extensive bug bites. We are reminding patients as the temperatures get warmer to use bug spray and sunscreen.”
Dr. Christopher Loewe -- Emergency Department, Henry Ford St. John Hospital
“We are seeing seasonal allergies, which are sometimes hard to distinguish from the common cold, insect bites and contact dermatitis from environmental exposure outdoors.”
OAKLAND COUNTY – Respiratory viruses, asthma flare-ups, stomach viruses, dehydration, sunburns.
Dr. Evelyn Laskowski -- Division chief, Corewell Health Children’s in Royal Oak
“We are seeing some viral respiratory illnesses causing asthma. It’s also the time of year where we start to see muscle and kidney injury from kids being outside working out and pushing themselves hard in the heat, especially without adequate hydration.”
Dr. Josh Newblatt -- Pine Knob Urgent Care
“We are seeing GI illness with nausea and vomiting. The rising temperatures has led us to start seeing heat related illness like dehydration and sun burns.”
WASHTENAW COUNTY – Upper respiratory infections, outdoor injuries, stomach viruses, asthma flare-ups.
Dr. Brad Uren -- Clinical Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine, Michigan Medicine
“We are still seeing some upper respiratory infections and mild GI infections this week. Warmer weather has caused a few warm weather injuries and burns as well.”
Dr. Stuart Bradin -- Clinical Professor of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics, Michigan Medicine
“We are seeing some viral respiratory illness and several cases of asthma and orthopedic injuries.”
MONROE COUNTY – did not report this week.
MACOMB COUNTY – Seasonal allergies, asthma flare-ups, outdoor injuries.
Dr. Erin Cuddeback -- Emergency Physician at McLaren Macomb
“While there has already been a steady volume of patients seeking care for orthopedic and soft tissue injuries, the holiday weekend and improved weather has increased that volume, with the majority of those receiving treatment being pediatric patients. The rise of allergens and other environmental irritants has caused exacerbated symptoms in some asthma sufferers.”
LIVINGSTON COUNTY – Outdoor injuries, poison ivy, tick bites.
Trinity Health Livingston Emergency Department and the Brighton Medical Center
“We are seeing a trend with outdoors injuries from bicycles and ATVs, as well as poison ivy and tick bites.”