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 -- Bee and wasp stings, croup, Covid, hand foot & mouth disease, ear infections, strep throat
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Dr. Kevin Dazy -- Pediatrician, Children’s Hospital of Michigan
“A little atypical for this year: I saw a couple of kids this week with croup. It comes in waves. One actually had a COVID croup. And we have seen some kids with COVID, where we hadn’t seen any COVID for several months. I had a couple of kids last week with COVID. We’re starting to see some classic signs of hand-foot-mouth, including the rash. When you see a patient with the virus, they may not have all of the hand-foot-mouth symptoms at the same time – it evolves. So you tell parents what to look out for with this virus: skin rash, fever, sores of the mouth where kids don’t want to eat or drink, then they can get dehydrated. Because this is a virus, we treat for symptoms like fever or pain from mouth sores. Parents can use over-the-counter pain relievers. And make sure they stay hydrated. But stay away from acidic juices or drinks, like citrus juices; that could cause pain with mouth sores.”
Dr. Christopher Loewe -- Ascension St. John Hospital
“I’m seeing a lot of people returning from cruises with COVID-19.”
Oakland County -- Bee and wasp stings, breathing problems, croup, hand foot and mouth disease, COVID, bronchitis
Dr. Steven McGraw -- Chair of Emergency Medicine, Ascension Providence Hospital, Southfield Campus
“We still are seeing a lot of asthmatics and COPD patients due to the weather. We are also seeing patients with viral upper respiratory infections and stomach infections that include symptoms like diarrhea and vomiting. This is the season when bees, wasps and other stinging insects become very aggressive. In late summer, we tend to see many patients with bee sting envenomations so folks should be aware if they are allergic. It’s time to refill their Epi-pen kits and have benadryl on hand.”
Dr. Sanford Vieder -- Emergency Center Chief, Corewell Health’s Beaumont Hospital, Farmington Hills
“We continue to see a substantial number of first and second-degree sunburns. Due to the ongoing summer haze caused by smoke from the Canadian wildfires, it seem a lot of people are being less cautious about applying sunscreen. Despite hazy conditions, the sun’s ultraviolet rays still get through and if people are outdoors for significant blocks of time, this can lead to sunburn. It’s a terrible way to ruin an otherwise great day outdoors. We recommend using sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 30, but preferably higher, with frequent reapplication especially when getting in and out of the water or sweating with outdoor activities.”
Dr. David Donaldson -- Emergency Center Chief, Corewell Health’s Beaumont Hospital, Troy
“We are seeing an uptick in pediatric viral illnesses, like hand, foot, and mouth disease and croup. Also, we are still seeing a number of people with seasonal allergies.”
Caroline Morris, PA-C -- Henry Ford-GoHealth Urgent Care Centers
“Currently in the clinics we are seeing bee stings- those little rascals want a last fight before the summer ends. In the elderly we are seeing more coughs than usual, bronchitis mainly. And it appears COVID -19 is making a comeback, however, thankfully the symptoms are more like a bad cold rather than the awful respiratory failure we were seeing a few years ago.”
Washtenaw County -- COVID, upper respiratory infections, stomach viruses, strep throat
Monroe County -- Stomach viruses, strep throat, Covid, breathing problems, COPD flare-ups
Macomb County -- Upper respiratory virus, cough, Covid, sinus infections, swimmer’s ear, bug bites
Dr. Joseph Flynn -- Emergency physician at McLaren Macomb
“Orthopedic and soft tissue injuries continue to be the most common reason patients are seeking care in the emergency and trauma center. A viral infection has been causing symptoms of an upper respiratory infection and leaving patients with a lingering cough. There has been a slight but noticeable increase in the number of positive COVID-19 cases.”