Michigan Cyclospora outbreak tops 12,000 cases, kills two
August 7th, 20260 LANSING — Michigan’s unprecedented cyclosporiasis outbreak has sickened 12,485 people since June, hospitalized at least 279 and contributed to the deaths of two residents, according to the latest figures from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. The Aug. 6 figures fall slightly below earlier projections that the...
Canadian wildfire smoke chokes Metro Detroit, triggers air quality emergency
July 17th, 20260 DETROIT — After enduring days of near-100-degree temperatures, Metro Detroit residents were hit with another wave of extreme weather this week as thick smoke from massive wildfires in Canada and northern Minnesota blanketed Southeast Michigan, creating hazardous air conditions, disrupting daily life and prompting health officials to...
Experts warn of health risks, stress vaccines amid measles resurgence
July 17th, 20260 A Minnesota mother who was traveling to Somalia took her family to the local travel clinic to get necessary vaccines before their trip, including the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella. The youngest member of the family, a 9-month old boy, did not get vaccinated because he was sleeping. “I didn’t want...Michigan investigates unprecedented Cyclosporiasis outbreak as infections surpass 1,200
July 10th, 20260 Michigan health officials are scrambling to identify the source of an unprecedented outbreak of the foodborne parasite Cyclosporiasis, which has already infected more than 1,200 people across the state in just over two weeks, sending dozens of patients to hospitals with severe dehydration. Since the state's first confirmed case was...
Michigan erases $74 million in medical debt for nearly 72,000 residents
June 27th, 20260 LANSING — In a major effort to ease the financial burden of healthcare costs on Michigan families, the state has eliminated more than $74 million in medical debt for nearly 72,000 residents, giving thousands of households a fresh financial start after years of struggling with unpaid medical bills. Gov. Whitmer announced that 71,871...
Investigation underway after dialysis patient dies, several others hospitalized following treatments at Novi clinic
June 27th, 20260 NOVI — State health and law enforcement officials are investigating the death of an elderly woman and a series of medical emergencies involving several dialysis patients who received treatment at a DaVita Dialysis Center in Novi, prompting the facility's temporary closure and a statewide investigation. The investigation began on...
Garden City Hospital’s emergency department undergoes major transformation under Dr. Islam Gomaa
June 19th, 20260 GARDEN CITY — The emergency department at Garden City Hospital is undergoing a significant transformation under a comprehensive medical and administrative vision led by Dr. Islam Gomaa, emergency department director and chair of Garden City Hospital and Westland Hospital, as well as co-chair of the stroke program at Lake Huron Medical...
GLP-1s can help people shed the pounds, but tennis can keep them fit for life
May 22nd, 20260 Nearly 1 in 8 Americans have turned to GLP-1s to shed pounds. For many, these drugs offer a powerful starting point to trimming their waistlines — but not a complete path to long-term health. Lasting health isn't defined by the scale. Sustainable improvements come from building healthier lifestyles over time — especially regular...
High pollen levels worsen spring allergies across Metro Detroit
May 1st, 20260 DETROIT — If your spring allergies suddenly feel worse, you’re not imagining it. Pollen levels across the Detroit area have surged to “high”, in line with much of the eastern half of the United States. The primary driver behind this seasonal spike is tree pollen — particularly from poplar, elm and birch trees. This is peak...
Breakfast, sleep and exercise boost mental resilience, researchers find
May 1st, 20260 DETROIT — Scientists say psychological resilience — often described as composure under pressure, is the ability to think clearly and adapt calmly when facing stressful or anxiety-inducing situations that may overwhelm others. A team of researchers in the United States recently conducted a study examining the factors that help...
Mysterious respiratory illness barrels through U.S. without vaccine or cure
March 27th, 20260 By Sunita Sohrabji American Community Media The U.S. is experiencing a dramatic surge in human metapneumovirus — HMPV — a little-known respiratory illness, which currently has no vaccine or antiviral treatment. Northern California and several states on the East Coast are experiencing a dramatic surge in human...
Steak at the top – The politics behind America’s new food guidelines
March 20th, 20260 By Sunita Sohrabji American Community Media The government’s newly released federal food pyramid flips decades of nutrition guidance upside down. The guidelines are drawing sharp criticism from leading experts who say the emphasis on meat and full-fat dairy could adversely impact the health of Americans and further contribute to...
“Paying more, getting less” — America’s flailing health system
February 6th, 20260 By Sunita Sohrabji Millions of Americans are facing soaring health insurance premiums and rising out-of-pocket costs. Advocates warn large numbers of people will be priced out of coverage as a result, straining the broader health care system. More than 20 million people enrolled in Affordable Care Act marketplace plans are seeing...
Setting the standard in healthcare law and compliance: Hassan Abdallah’s leadership approach
January 30th, 20260 As healthcare organizations manage expanding volumes of sensitive patient information and rely more heavily on digital platforms, compliance and privacy leadership has shifted from a supporting role to a strategic one. For Hassan Abdallah, vice president and chief compliance & privacy officer at MRO, that evolution has shaped both...
Wayne County urges residents to get flu shot as infections spike sharply across Metro Detroit
January 16th, 20260 DETROIT — As influenza cases and other seasonal respiratory infections surge sharply, the Wayne County Department of Public Health is urging residents to get vaccinated as soon as possible, warning that flu season is expected to reach its peak over the next two months. In a statement issued on Tuesday, health authorities said......
Dr. Khalil Choucair joins Karmanos Cancer Institute’s thoracic oncology and clinical trials teams
December 19th, 20250 DETROIT — The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute has appointed Khalil Choucair, M.D., MSc, a medical oncologist, to its Thoracic Oncology and Phase I Clinical Trials Multidisciplinary Teams, strengthening the institute’s expertise in advanced lung and thoracic cancer care. Dr. Choucair began seeing patients in July at Karmanos...
Michigan officials issue safety and environmental guidelines for snow and ice removal
December 5th, 20250 With the snowstorm that struck Michigan last week, local authorities across the state issued a series of guidelines to help residents avoid accidents caused by frost and ice buildup. Officials urged homeowners and business owners to follow local snow removal ordinances to avoid fines and protect pedestrians from slip-and-fall injuries,......
Michigan Medical delegation brings relief to dozens of Lebanese patients with joint replacement surgeries
November 14th, 20250 BAALBEK, NABATIEH – A two-week humanitarian medical mission led by Lebanese American physicians from Michigan delivered life-changing care to dozens of patients in Baalbek and Nabatieh, performing 50 free orthopedic surgeries and providing consultations to scores of others. The mission logistics, sponsored by the Arab American...
Arab American neurosurgeon Mohamad Bydon performs “miracle” surgery in Chicago
November 1st, 20250 Dr. Mohamad Bydon saves toddler after near-decapitation, in what experts call one of the most extraordinary spinal surgeries ever recorded CHICAGO — In a story that has stunned the medical world, Lebanese American neurosurgeon Dr. Mohamad Bydon, chair of the Department of Neurological Surgery at the University of Chicago Medicine,...
Wayne County Health Division reports first West Nile Virus-related death of 2025
September 16th, 20250 WAYNE COUNTY — The Wayne County Health Division (WCHD) reports first West Nile virus (WNV) death in an Out-Wayne County resident for the 2025 season. The individual was an older adult with underlying health conditions. The state as a whole has reported 17 human cases of the virus so far this year, including three in Out-Wayne...
Daily fiber intake can lower cholesterol and protect the heart
August 23rd, 20250 LONDON – A report by The Independent cited nutrition experts who said that adding more fiber to daily meals may help reduce blood cholesterol levels and lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes. The report noted that there are two main types of fiber that can be incorporated into the diet: Soluble fiber and insoluble fiber. ......
As Medicaid turns 60, rollbacks threaten millions of Americans
August 7th, 20250 As Medicaid turns 60, the U.S. faces the largest federal health care subsidy rollback in its history. The One Big Beautiful Act, signed by President Trump on July 4, slashes federal Medicaid spending by 15 percent. Over the next decade, it will eliminate over $1 trillion from federal health care and food aid, largely by imposing work...
Dearborn launches landmark health assessment to shape inclusive, data-driven city policies
July 27th, 20250 DEARBORN – The Dearborn Public Health Department has released a comprehensive assessment of residents’ needs, priorities, challenges and health experiences. This unprecedented initiative is part of an ambitious vision to embed public health at the core of municipal policy in the only city in Michigan — besides Detroit — to have......
Trump administration shares Medicaid data with ICE, sparking outrage over privacy and immigration enforcement
July 18th, 20250 Medicaid officials have reportedly made an agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to allow agents to examine a database of Americans’ personal information – including home addresses, social security numbers and ethnicities. The data sharing agreement will allow ICE to find “the location of aliens”, according to...
Karmanos Institute marks July as Sarcoma Awareness Month
July 17th, 20250 DETROIT — The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute has marked July as Sarcoma Awareness Month. Sarcomas, a form of cancer, are rare tumors that comprise of about 1 percent of adult cancers and 15 percent of childhood cancers, according to Karmanos. “Sarcomas are cancers originating in bone or soft tissues, for example, fat, muscle,......
