CDC says lab-confirmed US cases of diarrhoea-causing parasite top 1,600, expects count to rise

Published
0
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's logo and a U.S. flag are seen in this illustration created on April 23, 2025. — Reuters/File
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's logo and a U.S. flag are seen in this illustration created on April 23, 2025. — Reuters/File

Lab-confirmed cases linked to a US outbreak of cyclosporiasis have risen to 1,645, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Tuesday, up by more than 800 cases from its last update a week ago.

Cases have now been reported across 34 states, and have resulted in 141 hospitalisations as of July 13, according to the health agency. No deaths have been reported.

Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal infection that can be contracted by consuming food typically raw fruits and vegetables or water contaminated with feces, according to the US CDC.

While the United States has experienced outbreaks of the gastrointestinal illness before, the scale and geographic spread of this year’s outbreak are significantly larger, prompting concern among health officials.

The agency cautioned that there is a roughly six-week lag between the onset of illness and the reporting of cases, which means more infections are likely to be identified as additional data is received.

The CDC said it is also aware of more than 5,100 additional cases that require further analysis and confirmation.

The current US outbreak, which began on May 1, is centered in Michigan, with Ohio and New York also reporting high numbers of cases.

Separately, Michigan health officials on Tuesday reported 3,309 cases in the state, an increase of 669 cases since the last update on Monday.

US health officials have not identified the source of contamination and are tracing foods linked to cases through the supply chain, potentially to the farm level, using genetic sequencing where needed.

Opinion

Editorial

No talks
17 Oct, 2026

No talks

THE opposition Tehreek-i-Tahafuz Ayin-i-Pakistan has announced that there will be no more talks with the government...
Strengthening LGs
17 Oct, 2026

Strengthening LGs

THE ECP has done well to refuse to allow the Punjab administration to push the local government elections to April....
Lesser citizens
17 Oct, 2026

Lesser citizens

FOR decades, discrimination and prejudice have narrowed the space for the country’s minority communities. The HRCP...
Deadly classrooms
Updated 16 Oct, 2026

Deadly classrooms

Parents should not have to become structural engineers to judge whether their children are safe at school.
Diplomatic options
Updated 16 Oct, 2026

Diplomatic options

Regional states know that the alternative to talks — a fully fledged war on both fronts — will bring immeasurable destruction to the Gulf, the Red Sea and the surrounding areas.
Hunger in Pakistan
16 Oct, 2026

Hunger in Pakistan

PAKISTAN’S position as the country most affected by hunger in South Asia is not surprising. An economy battered by...