(WXYZ) — We're approaching mid-April, and that means the growing season for plants in metro Detroit is under way. Just ask any allergy sufferer.
The sniffing and the sneezing from spring pollen are to be expected, but a check with local doctors shows there are some other bugs going around you need to be aware of.
Those viruses can cause real discomfort for some people.
"We're starting to see an outbreak of these stomach bugs that are going around in our community," Dr. Brandon Karmo of Ascension Orchard Primary Care in Farmington Hills said.
He said they've had a lot of people coming in with cases of gastroenteritis, which can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain and more for a couple of days.
Gastroenteritis can be caused by viruses or bacteria. In most cases, these stomach bugs go away on their own, but you need to stay hydrated.
To avoid the discomfort of these stomach bugs, practice good hand hygiene.
Karmo is also seeing some cases of spring allergies, and cases of norovirus. He says Michigan is being impacted by a national outbreak.
"So just people, be aware, if you eat raw or undercooked seafood, in particular, just to be just to be cautious, at this time," he said.
Dr. Anne Groebe of Bloom Pediatrics in Birmingham said cases of COVID-19 are remaining steady with an 8% positivity rate, but Influenza A is up from 0% to 35% positivity.
Dr. Parag Patel, a family physician at Silver Pine Medical Group and on staff at Beaumont Troy, said the rise in flu cases isn't hitting all age groups equally. It's skewing younger.
"Especially amongst young adults, college-age kids, we're seeing quite a bit of that," Patel said.
His practice is also seeing some strep throat, calls from home testers looking for guidance on handling COVID-19 and that stomach bug. Patel says those GI symptoms can keep you on the sidelines for a while, but you don't need to be symptom-free before you get back to your daily life.
Patel suggests we might see a lack in COVID cases since there is an extra step in reporting since we're relying more heavily on at home self-test.
But of course, he recognizes the need to balance getting back to a more normal life and keeping a lid on COVID-19.
