July 14 (Reuters) – Michigan health officials on Tuesday reported 3,309 cases linked to an outbreak of cyclosporiasis, an increase of 669 cases since the last update on Monday.
The outbreak has resulted in 44 hospitalizations as of July 9, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. No deaths have been reported.
Here are the details:
• 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 U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Cases of an intestinal infection from the cyclospora parasite that causes diarrhea, nausea and other gastrointestinal symptoms have risen steadily in recent months across the United States, according to the CDC.
• The CDC said on its website dated July 9 that 843 people across 31 states had contracted the parasite, and 86 of them had been hospitalized. At that time, the agency said more than 1,500 additional cases required further analysis and confirmation.
• Symptoms can range from mild to severe, with children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems facing a higher risk of serious illness.
• The current U.S. outbreak, which began on May 1, is centered in Michigan, with Ohio and New York also reporting high numbers of cases.
• U.S. 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.
(Reporting by Siddhi Mahatole in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber)
