Michigan Sees Rise in Respiratory and Gastrointestinal Illnesses asโ Holidays Approach
Across Southeast michigan, healthcare providers are โreporting increases inโค a variety of illnesses -โฃ ranging โฃfrom common colds โand influenza to stomach โviruses and respiratory infections – as temperatures drop andโ people spend more time indoors. The โsurge is prompting reminders about preventative measures like frequent handwashing.
In โWashtenaw County, the Health Department notesโ influenza cases are currently at low levels, with both Influenza A & B wastewater detection also low in Ann Arbor andโข Ypsilanti.โฃ Though, the dominant strain circulating this 2025-2026 influenza season is Influenza A H3N2.โค Notably, patients withโข underlying โคlung disease are experiencing increased exacerbations of COPD and asthma related to currently circulatingโข upper respiratory infections compared to recent weeks.
Monroe County’s Dr. Nicholas Schenk of ProMedica Monroe Regional Hospital Familyโฃ Medicine Residency reports a “fair amount of non-specific viral โคupper respiratory โinfections,” primarily among school-age children. He โstates they haven’tโค seen meaningful cases of flu or COVID-19 in the โคpast two weeks, emphasizing the importanceโข of handwashing as people gather for the holidays.
Macomb County is seeingโข a significant rise in pediatric viral gastroenteritis, causing nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Dr. Joseph Carlier, an Emergency Physician at โMcLaren Macomb, notes these patients are testing negative for influenza, โCOVID-19, and RSV. Alongside the stomach viruses,aโ high volume of patients are presenting with symptoms of upper respiratory infections – โขslightโ fever,body โคaches,congestion,and cough. Dr. Carlier also reports a “noticeable number” of shingles diagnoses, alongside an increase in slip and fall injuriesโค due to colder, slippery conditions.
Livingstonโฃ County’s Dr.Bashar Yalldo of Henry Ford Byron Family Medicine- Howell confirms theyโข are currently treating bothโข children and adults for โฃcolds, flu, and other respiratory illnesses.