Public Health

Residents in the Middle Huron River Watershed are facing an escalating environmental challenge as warmer summers and severe storm events increasingly trigger harmful cyanobacteria blooms, which threaten recreational water use, local wildlife, and the health of our regional impoundments like Ford Lake. Rebekah Warren discussed the matter and the actions being taken to fight it with Ric Lawson, director of programs for the Huron River Watershed Council.

The Washtenaw County Health Department will continue to uphold its recommended childhood vaccine schedule, regardless of the new executive order from President Trump. WEMU’s Ana Longoria reports.

Health officials have closed Independence Lake County Park in Webster Township because the water contained high levels of E. coli. The beach has experienced more closures than any other public swimming area in Washtenaw County. WEMU’s Ana Longoria reports.

Annual opioid-related overdose deaths continue to decline in Washtenaw County. That’s according to the most recent numbers released by the County Health Department. WEMU’s Kevin Meerschaert reports.

An outbreak in cyclosporiasis recently spread all over Michigan, and a large number of cases were identified here in Washtenaw County. Kristen Schweighoefer, Director of the Washtenaw County Health Department's environmental health division, joined Rebekah Warren to discuss the source of the outbreak and what precautions residents should take to prevent another.

Medical staff who patrolled the streets during the Ann Arbor Art Fair saw a slight uptick in incidents compared to last year’s event. WEMU’s Ana Longoria reports.

There has been an uptick in patients arriving at local urgent care and emergency rooms, due to poor air quality from ongoing Canadian wildfires. WEMU’s Ana Longoria reports.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration point to a single supplier of iceberg lettuce used at Taco Bell restaurants in Michigan as the source of cyclospora. WEMU's Caroline MacGregor reports.

Health officials are currently theorizing that lettuce and bagged greens are the main vectors for the ongoing cyclospora outbreak. Investigations continue as several key pieces of information remain unknown. WEMU’s Ana Longoria reports.

Air quality across Southeast Michigan has deteriorated significantly due to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. An air quality alert remains in effect for all of Michigan through Friday, July 17th. WEMU's Caroline MacGregor reports.