COVID cases re-surge in Michigan
COVID numbers increase according to a recent report from the Center for Disease Control
LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - COVID cases could be on the rise in Michigan after more than 1,800 cases were reported this week by the CDC.
Dr. Peter Gulick, professor of medicine at Michigan State University, says the collection process looks a little different than when the virus was considered a public emergency.
“It’s hard because a lot of people routinely test themselves, but they don’t report those results to the health department or anything,” Gulick said. “So, there could be an underestimation of those results.”
Dr. Paul Entler of Sparrow Health said the uptick in cases could be due to various factors including new variants of the virus, summer heat, and the recent Canadian wildfires.
“In the summer, you’re outside and the humidity is a little bit different,” Entler said. “But when you start getting smoke and the virus enters through our upper respiratory system, you start getting some different barriers that get affected by the smoke as well in addition to being inside.”
Although there’s a large number of reported cases, Dr. Entler says hospitalizations determine how serious the uptick is.
“Those that are hospitalized have not ended up in critical care as well. So very few, it’s been in single digits,” Entler said. “We haven’t seen that uptick. "
The FDA could approve a new COVID booster as soon as next month. Gulick said it’s highly advised that those high-risk individuals get vaccinated with this newest booster because that will give them additional protection. However, it’s equally as important for others that get vaccinated because it helps protect those that are immune compromised in addition to the immunity that’s inferred once you get the vaccine.
But COVID-19 isn’t the only virus to consider as we move into fall, the flu and RSV vaccines are just as important. Gulick said, people still get sick and die from the flu and then the third one the respiratory syncytial virus or RSV is the newest player to take into consideration. People think that it only affects children, but older adults can contract the virus as well.
Lasty, Gulick shared the current numbers aren’t a major increase where we must take all the extraordinary complications. We should still be aware of it and monitor it and keep updated on it.
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