Trump admin "aware" of deaths in explosive diarrhea outbreak, delays reporting
Federal officials will update the outbreak sometime "this week," a spokesperson said.
Michigan health officials reported two fatalities linked to a severe cyclosporiasis outbreak, according to an announcement on Monday. Despite the scale of the outbreak, which has resulted in thousands of cases across nine states, the rarity of cyclosporiasis-related deaths left some experts perplexed. Both victims, as indicated by their medical records, had significant pre-existing health conditions that may have exacerbated the impact of the infection and dehydration.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services noted that both individuals contracted the parasitic infection prior to a recall of Taylor Farms' shredded iceberg lettuce, which was sourced from Mexico and has been implicated in the outbreak. Cyclospora, a single-celled parasite, is typically transmitted through contaminated food, particularly fresh produce with rough surfaces that facilitate its attachment.
Previous outbreaks have been attributed to various fruits and vegetables, including fresh herbs, raspberries, green onions, and snow peas.
Written by urgent.news from Ars Technica Health's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
