2 Dead In Cyclosporiasis Outbreak As Food Recalls Become A Bigger Problem
A new development in the lettuce recall sweeping the United States.
Michigan reports that two people have died from the current cyclosporiasis outbreak. Now, The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a bigger situation on its hands. Cases of people getting sick from Cyclosporiasis contaminated produce have increased to 11,000 according to The Detroit Free Press. In addition, those two confirmed fatalities have authorities on higher alert than usual.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has been trying to get a handle on this situation for more than a week now. And, they’re letting residents know all the information they can right now. On their infectious disease dashboard, they wrote, “Two deaths have been identified as part of the cyclosporiasis outbreak affecting Michigan. According to medical records, both individuals had significant underlying health conditions that may have been impacted by cyclosporiasis and dehydration. No additional information will be provided on these two cases.”
Though this is sad, the MDHHS is preaching caution so far. “Cyclosporiasis is generally not a life-threatening illness,” they explained. “Death resulting from cyclosporiasis is uncommon in the United States.” Product safety with other products on store shelves has been top of mind for
2 Dead Amid Cyclosporiasis Outbreak in Michigan
With all this media attention shining the light on the iceberg lettuce recall, the CDC posted a statement about what they know so far and they’re urging people not to panic. The CDC wrote, “CDC is aware of two cyclosporiasis-related deaths in people with underlying health conditions from Michigan as part of this outbreak. CDC will update its website to include laboratory confirmed cases, hospitalizations and deaths.”
In the United States, the Taylor Farms lettuce recall has been all over social media. Recalled lettuce made its way to 27 states. Taco Bell trended for multiple days after they pulled their lettuce relatively early in this process. For now, one of the most important things consumers can do is stay vigilant. There are a number of recalls alongside the cyclosporia outbreak to be aware of.
The most common symptoms of Cylospora are diarrhea, loss of appetite and fatigue. If you get sick enough to be tested, health officials will ask you what you consumed about two weeks before you got sick. It’s important to pursue treatment as the symptoms can range from a few days to a month. The CDC recommends washing produce under running water before cooking, eating or cutting. In addition, cooking the produce can kill Cyclospora.
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