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What's Going Around: Viral Illnesses, Covid, Strep Throat, Stomach Viruses, Seasonal Allergies

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 – Viral illnesses, Covid, strep throat, stomach viruses, upper respiratory infections, seasonal allergies

Dr. Brandon Cheppa -- Emergency room physician at DMC Detroit Receiving Hospital

"We've still been having a respectable level of covid, and we're headed into cold and flu season. Healthcare workers are already hearing it's time to get flu shots, and the CDC suggests September or October are the best months for vaccination. Also, with the turn in the temperature, those couple of cold nights, we saw some early cold-exposure injuries but not full-blown frostbite. Some of our homeless population and college kids wearing T-shirts and shorts when it's 45 and adding drugs and alcohol, the weather is a little harsher on them. And with football season in full swing, we've seen the tailgating injuries, like fall injuries. And especially if you have a medical condition, if you're going to be doing those things, you should be with a person who can make sober decisions for you or transport you if you need it."

Dr. Jennifer Stevenson -- Emergency Department, Henry Ford Medical Center Fairlane

"A lot of patients coming in have tested positive for COVID. I have also seen many cases of strep throat. I expect we'll be seeing more communicable infections with school being back in session. We continue to encourage good hand hygiene!"

Dr. Kevin Dazy -- Pediatrician, Children's Hospital of Michigan

"We're seeing lots of viral illnesses and a good amount of covid. Parents should emphasize the importance of handwashing at school with kids, which always helps curb the transmission of germs."

Dr. Glen Clark -- Emergency Center Chief, Corewell Health Beaumont Grosse Pointe Hospital

"There have been very few COVID cases as of late. We're still seeing some viral gastroenteritis and upper respiratory infections. A lot of flu swabs have been negative. Allergies are in full swing."

Oakland County – COVID, upper respiratory viruses, stomach viruses, strep throat

Dr. Susan Bork -- Director of operations, Emergency Center, Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital, Royal Oak

"Back to school correlates with back to germ spread! Uptick in COVID cases has been seen, but thankfully it commonly presents as a cold that can't be differentiated from any other virus without a swab. Thankfully, we treat COVID in healthy people now the same as other viruses with symptom control measures that can be found over the counter. Outside of COVID, other upper respiratory viruses, which appear to be spreading through schools, are slowly rising. Wash hands often to prevent disease spread!"

Trinity Health Livonia Emergency Department

"We have been seeing a slight increase with COVID patients, as well as some generalized viral GI complaints, like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea."

Washtenaw County – Seasonal allergies, Covid, upper respiratory infections, asthma flare-ups, mycoplasma pneumonia

University of Michigan Health

"A noticeable increase in COVID diagnoses this week and several other upper respiratory infections in circulation as well at lower levels. Also seeing an increase in kids with asthma or asthma like symptoms - uncertain if it's just typical fall causes or a single particular virus. Noticing more mycoplasma pneumonias as well, which isn't typical."

Washtenaw County Health Department

"Influenza cases in Washtenaw County residents are currently at low levels. Sporadic cases of influenza A and influenza B are being reported. Flu-related hospitalizations of Washtenaw residents are at low levels."

Monroe County – Did not report this week

Macomb County – COVID, upper respiratory infections, stomach viruses, seasonal allergies, breathing problems

Dr. Anthony Joslin -- Emergency physician at McLaren Macomb

"The rise in COVID-19 cases have continued to send patients to the emergency department, though the vast majority of patients experience mild symptoms. Warming up after the recent cool down has resulted in a noticeable increase in patients suffering from allergy complications, the most severe of which are complications breathing. Not testing positive for COVID-19 or influenza, sinus and chest congestion, and sore throats symptomatic of an upper respiratory infection have been common in the ER. With the start of high school athletics, the trend of orthopedic and soft tissue injuries have been increasing."

Dr. Maria Samuel -- Primary Care Physician, Henry Ford Medical Center Sterling Heights

"We're seeing COVID cases, upper respiratory infections, and gastroenteritis (stomach flu)."

Livingston County -- COVID, stomach viruses, seasonal allergies

Trinity Health Livingston Emergency Department

"We have also has seen a slight bump in COVID cases. GI viral complaints as well."

What's Going Around: Pneumonia, COVID, Strep

HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) – WellSpan Pediatric Medicine Physicians are seeing pneumonia, non-COVID upper respiratory illnesses and stomach bugs this week.

Pediatricians at Penn State Health Children's Hospital are seeing a lot of cases of COVID, a lot of colds and some stomach bugs. They are also seeing some strep throat and viral upper respiratory infections.

UPMC Children's Community Pediatrics reports a viral illness this week, with symptoms including cough, congestion and fever.

Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health Physicians Roseville Pediatrics reports an increase in walking pneumonia cases. Strep throat cases are still high and COVID cases continue to increase. They also saw the common cold and enterovirus.

Dr. Joan Thode offered the following advice about walking pneumonia:

"Walking pneumonia is the more commonly heard term to describe atypical pneumonia, which refers to an infectious inflammatory process dispersed throughout the lungs rather than being localized into a small single area of the lungs.

The term atypical pneumonia actually references the mycoplasma bacteria that cause the pneumonia, not that the pneumonia or the patient suffering it are atypical. What makes the bacteria not typical is its lack of a cell wall, making antibiotic choice very important.

Walking pneumonia is more common in the school-aged and teen pediatric populations than in young children and toddlers.

Walking pneumonia and the common cold can have overlapping symptoms of fever, headache, loss of appetite, and of course cough. The cough tends to be much worse with pneumonia than with a cold. The immune system of the lungs will attack the bacterial infection, which causes production of mucous as a defense. The cough with pneumonia will frequently sound wet as this increased mucous is being coughed up and cleared. Even after the bacteria has been killed by the immune system and antibiotics, the accumulated mucus in the lungs needs to be cleared, so the cough can sometimes persist for a week after the acute infection is gone.

For walking pneumonia, antibiotics are typically prescribed. The choice of medication and dose will depend on the individual child's exam findings and weight."

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.

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What's Going Around? COVID, Strep Throat, Ear Infections

Feeling under the weather? If you or your child are coughing, sneezing, or sniffling, you're not alone. A variety of viral illnesses are circulating, with one of the more common ones being COVID-19.

Kelsey-Seybold Clinic – Sienna

In Missouri City, Dr. Jessica Lanerie said there's an uptick in strep throat and viral gastroenteritis.

Kelsey-Seybold Clinic – Fort Bend Campus

In Sugar Land, Dr. Phong Van-Liaw has seen an increase in viral gastroenteritis, fifth disease, COVID, and swimmer's ear.

READ MORE: Protecting your eyes while landscaping, gardening, riding ATVs

Kelsey-Seybold Clinic – West University

Dr. Kailey Graybill said there's more COVID cases, plenty of common colds, stomach viruses, and a lot of asthma exacerbations given the changes in weather.

Kelsey-Seybold Clinic – Pearland

Dr. Melanie Ribbeck is seeing the typical surge of upper respiratory infections and some strep throat after school started. COVID and stomach bugs also increased after school started.

So far there's not an increase in other fall viruses like flu or RSV.

Ear infections are also common after infections increase drainage. So, if kids have cold symptoms and significant ear pain, they should see a doctor in person.

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