The number of cyclosporiasis cases in Michigan has reached 9,680, up by 427 in the past day, reports infohub.kz.
According to local health authorities, as of July 23, 160 people had been hospitalized. No deaths have been recorded.
Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by the microscopic parasite Cyclospora. Infection typically occurs after consuming contaminated raw fruits, vegetables, or water.
The main symptom is prolonged watery diarrhea. Other possible symptoms include abdominal pain, nausea, fatigue, loss of appetite, and weight loss.
The outbreak has been linked to iceberg lettuce. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration found that some cases are associated with shredded iceberg lettuce.
The product was supplied by Taylor Farms from a facility in central Mexico. The lettuce was used in Taco Bell fast-food outlets.
Authorities continue to investigate other possible sources of infection, as the outbreak's scale exceeds the number of cases directly linked to the lettuce. It remains unknown how many of those infected contracted the illness from Taylor Farms products.
The outbreak has affected dozens of states. Since early May, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has received reports of 4,173 laboratory-confirmed cyclosporiasis cases.
Additionally, the CDC is aware of over 7,400 suspected cases in at least 41 states. These figures require further confirmation. The discrepancy between federal and state statistics arises because local authorities count not only lab-confirmed but also probable cases.