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BCHD warns about chemically altered kratom products; reports high flu, rising RSV and national measles cases

Berrien County Board of Health · March 4, 2026
AI-Generated Content: All content on this page was generated by AI to highlight key points from the meeting. For complete details and context, we recommend watching the full video. so we can fix them.

Summary

Medical Director Dr. Beyer flagged a kratom (7OH) alert about potent opioids identified in kratom products; Epidemiologist Sara Palmer reported 79 pediatric flu deaths nationally (two in Michigan), 1,136 confirmed U.S. measles cases so far in 2026 and an increase in RSV after a late season start.

Medical Director Dr. Beyer told the board about a kratom (7OH) article and public-health outreach raising awareness that kratom products are being chemically manipulated and may contain potent opioids. Dr. Beyer described media coverage and outreach to inform the public and partners about the risk.

Epidemiologist Sara Palmer briefed the board on communicable-disease trends: flu numbers remain high with 79 pediatric flu deaths nationally (two in Michigan) so far in 2026; measles has 1,136 confirmed U.S. cases across 28 states to date; and RSV activity started later than usual but is now increasing. Palmer and Dr. Beyer emphasized vaccination and testing where appropriate and referenced the department's 2024 Communicable Disease Annual Report.

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