Some states say Cyclospora outbreak is slowing

The two states with the highest patient counts in a nationwide Cyclospora outbreak are stepping back from daily reporting, saying that the pace of the outbreak is slowing.

At last count, posted Aug. 6, Michigan reported 12,485 patients, up from 12,218 on Aug. 5. The state has had two confirmed deaths and 279 hospitalizations.

The Ohio state health department is reporting 4,949 cases of cyclosporiasis across 82 counties.

Nationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting 6,358 patients across 15 states in a Cyclospora outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce from the Taylor Farms growing operation in Central Mexico. 

The CDC is also reporting a group of outbreaks across 47 states with 10,468 laboratory-confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis and more than 12,255 additional cases that are not laboratory-confirmed or require further investigation. The CDC is reporting patient counts once a week.

Unlike Michigan and Ohio, officials in some other states are continuing to see sharp increases in patient counts. Missouri health officials say 1,577 people in the state have now tested positive, which reflects a 44 percent increase in confirmed cases from the previous week.

Both Michigan and Ohio have stopped daily reporting of case counts as of August. 10. Michigan’s health department will update patient counts on Thursdays moving forward. Also, Ohio has discontinued its regional cyclosporiasis hotline because of “a decreasing rate of new positive cases in northwest Ohio.”

“Since the start of this outbreak, (the Michigan health department) has remained committed to providing timely, transparent information and clear recommendations to Michigan residents,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive.

In addition to stepping back from daily patient count updates, the Michigan health department is advising residents that they can go back to routine guidance for consuming lettuce and salad greens.

“As new data has emerged, our guidance has evolved to reflect the best available evidence, helping ensure that prevention recommendations are accurate, actionable and responsive to the changing situation,” Bagdasarian said.

The state totals are as follows: