Here’s our weekly round up of what illnesses are spreading the most in Metro Detroit communities, according to our local doctors and hospitals.
Local doctors share their notes on What’s Going Around:
Wayne County:
Dr. Jacqueline Pflaum-Carlson -- Emergency Department, Henry Ford Hospital
“Starting to see flu spikes, some RSV in adults but rarely. Still getting lots of kids with colds. Reminder to families that if someone is sick- stay home. Especially if they have small children or elderly adults as they are most at risk for landing in the hospital and PICU’s can’t take anymore volume.”
Dr. Jennifer M Stephens-Hoyer -- Emergency Department, Henry Ford Medical Center Plymouth
“For Thanksgiving, reminding people to be mindful of the food they prepare and serve for loved ones with chronic illnesses like kidney disease and heart disease and diabetes. High salt load sends many patients with chronic heart failure and kidney disease over the edge after a holiday gathering. Consider preparing food with no added salt so family can add salt to their own tastes in accordance with their health needs as well.”
Dr. Asha Shajahan -- Medical Director of Community Health for Corewell Health Beaumont Grosse Pointe Hospital (formerly Beaumont Hospital, Grosse Pointe)
Dr. Shajahan cautions that antibiotics don’t work for viral infections. So follow your doctor’s advice on treatments for your symptoms – or get tested.
“If you have a cough, cold or fever, make sure you get tested to see if it’s a viral infection or a bacterial infection,” she said. “Often people want to go to the doctor to get medication. A lot of times you can take care of it the old school way: keeping fevers down using cold washcloths, staying hydrated, getting lots of rest, that sort of thing.”
Oakland County:
Dr. David Donaldson -- Chief of Emergency Center, Corewell Health Beaumont Troy Hospital
“RSV in children is the main concern at this time in our EC. The volume of cases and severity of illness is the worst that we’ve ever seen. Right now, at Troy, COVID is down as in the severity of the illness, and we haven’t seen a lot of influenza. The first heavy snowfall we generally see a number of people with heart attacks in the EC because they are not used to the strenuous activity of shoveling snow. The icy roads generally mean more slip and falls and car accidents as well.”
Dr. Sandy Vieder -- Chief of the Corewell Health Farmington Hills Hospital Emergency Center
“RSV: that’s pretty much the common trend. The other thing we’re seeing is stomach flu, with nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. There’s no age limit for it; it’s pretty much everyone. The best prevention for the stomach flu is good handwashing hygiene, especially before eating.”
Washtenaw County:
Dr. Marisa Louie -- Michigan Medicine, Children’s Emergency Services, Medical Director
“We are still seeing lots of RSV and other respiratory viruses, but we are starting to see a bigger uptick in influenza which we have been expecting to arrive, as it has been pretty intense in the areas of the country that typically precede us in terms of viral waves.”