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 – Dehydration, heat exhaustion, sunburn, insect bites, poison ivy, skin rashes, gastrointestinal illnesses.
Recommended Videos
Hanady Nasser-Beydoun, Pharmacy Manager, Livonia CVS Pharmacy
- This time of year, we’re seeing a lot of dehydration, heat exhaustion, sunburns, insect bites, poison ivy, seasonal allergies, and minor cuts and scrapes from outdoor activities
- We also get questions from travelers about motion sickness, upset stomachs, and what to pack in a travel first-aid kit.
- Patients with asthma or other respiratory conditions may also experience flare-ups due to heat, humidity, or poor air quality.
- Sunscreen remains one of the most requested products, particularly broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher. We’re also seeing strong demand for electrolyte drinks and hydration powders, insect repellents, aloe vera gel for sunburn relief, and antihistamines such as Claritin for seasonal allergies and itchy insect bites.
- Decongestants like Sudafed are also common requests for patients dealing with lingering congestion from allergies and before air travel.
- Pain relievers for headaches or muscle aches, travel-sized medications, anti-diarrheal products, and motion sickness remedies are also popular as families prepare for vacations.
- Many patients underestimate how quickly dehydration can develop during outdoor celebrations, especially older adults and young children. It’s common to hear from people who spent the day outside to develop headaches, dizziness, or fatigue caused by dehydration or heat exposure.
- We’re also reminding patients that certain prescription medications—including some antibiotics, acne medications, diuretics, and blood pressure medications—can increase sensitivity to the sun or affect the body’s ability to regulate temperature. That’s an important conversation to have before spending long periods outdoors.
- Overall, the best advice is simple: stay hydrated before you feel thirsty, wear sunscreen and reapply it every two hours (or after swimming or sweating), use insect repellent when appropriate, seek shade during the hottest part of the day, and keep a small first-aid kit on hand for outdoor gatherings and travel. These simple precautions can help prevent many of the health issues we see around the Fourth of July.
Rami Fakih, Pharmacy Manager, Dearborn Heights CVS Pharmacy
- Now we are seeing many cases of skin rash, most of the time it’s either after mosquitoes bites or poison IVY. We recommend over the counter creams like Hydrocortisone and Benadryl tablets to help with the itching.
- Also recently we started seeing cases of stomach cramp with diarrhea and nausea, first we advise patients to drink a lot of water to prevent dehydration. We also recommend electrolyte-rich beverages to replenish nutrients.
- Last, we are getting questions regarding sunscreens and sunburns. We advise our customers to always put sunscreen at least half an hour before they go outside (at least 35 SPF) and to repeat application every 2 hours.
OAKLAND COUNTY – Gastrointestinal viruses, hand foot & mouth disease, croup, e-bike injuries, dehydration, poison ivy, respiratory illnesses.
Dr. Whitney Minnock, Pediatric Chief of Emergency at Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital in Royal Oak
“We’re currently seeing a wide range of seasonal illnesses in the hospital, including gastrointestinal viruses, hand, foot and mouth disease, croup, and other fever-related viral infections. In addition to that, there’s been a noticeable increase in e-bike-related injuries, as well as some unfortunate water-related incidents, which is something we always urge families to be mindful of this time of year.”
Dr. David Donaldson, Emergency Center Chief, Corewell Health Beaumont Troy Hospital
“With the recent stretch of hot weather, we’re treating more cases of dehydration, along with a spike in poison ivy exposure. Interestingly, we’re also still seeing some respiratory illnesses, despite being in the middle of summer. It’s a reminder that a variety of health concerns can emerge this time of year, and prevention and awareness are key.”
Dr. Rachel M. Klamo, Primary Care Physician, Henry Ford Glennan Primary Care
“Recently, we have seen cases of rhinovirus and bacterial pneumonia. We are also seeing a few summer respiratory viruses this past week.”
Dr. Josh Newblatt, Pine Knob Urgent Care
“Seeing a lot of heat related illness such as dehydration, sunburn, heat exhaustion, etc. Also continued injuries secondary to outside activities.”
WASHTENAW COUNTY – did not report this week.
MONROE COUNTY – did not report this week.
MACOMB COUNTY – Outdoor injuries, motor vehicle accidents, breathing problems, heat-related issues, seasonal allergies, asthma flare-ups, skin rashes, bug bites.
Dr. Andrew Awabdeh, Emergency Physician at McLaren Macomb
“In addition to the orthopedic and soft tissue injuries sustained in outdoor and other summer activities, there has been a significantly high rate of patients injured in motor vehicle accidents. The heat and allergens prevalent in the air continue to cause varying degrees of breathing complications, with asthma sufferers at risk for severe complications. Though some patients have received treatment, there has not been the elevated prevalence of environmental irritants (ie, bug bites and skin rashes) often typical for this time of year.”
LIVINGSTON COUNTY – Gastrointestinal illnesses.
Dr. Bashar Yalldo, Henry Ford Byron Family Medicine- Howell
“I have been seeing some GI issues including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. It is not yet confirmed to be cyclosporiasis, but now is an important time to take steps to avoid illness. To help avoid any illness from cyclospora or other harmful bacteria or organisms, it is recommended to properly wash and store and fruits or vegetables.”