Add The New York Post on Google Michigan has recorded more than 10,000 cases of the “explosive diarrhea” parasite — but the stomach-churning outbreak in the hardest hit US state may be slowing down, experts say.
State health officials announced Friday that over 10,700 people in Michigan have been afflicted by cyclosporiasis — the parasite known to cause “explosive diarrhea.”
Nearly 200 of those cases have been hospitalized, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Services.
However, hospital visits across Michigan by people complaining of diarrhea are slowing down, suggesting the outbreak in the Wolverine State may have peaked, the Detroit Free Press reported, citing the state’s chief medical executive, Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian.
Michicigan, according to data from the Centers for Disease and Control, has dealt with the highest number of cycloporosis cases in the US.
The CDC, which acknowledged it may report lower numbers than state-recorded cases as they use a different protocol, reported anywhere from 1,000 to 4,000 cases for Michigan in the latest update, higher than any other state.
Across the country, according to the CDC tally, close to 18,000 people have been afflicted with the explosive diaharre parasite. Of those, 6,707 have been laboratory confirmed while there are 11,500 suspected cases.
Cyclospora is a parasite, not bacteria, meaning it is far more difficult to detect in a lab.
Contaminated lettuce is believed to have been the source of this latest dangerous cyclospora outbreak.
National fresh produce conglomerate Taylor Farms, which supplies lettuce to many fast-food chains including Taco Bell, was initially linked as the source of the contaminated lettuce earlier this month.
A Food and Drug Administration source initially confirmed that the lettuce supplier was responsible for the ‘explosive diarrhea’ outbreak that sickened many Taco Bell customers across several states.
Taylor Farms consequently issued a recall of the leafy green distributed and sold in at least 27 states on July 17, according to the CDC.
However, the FDA later confirmed that the test presented a false positive result but it still believes Taylor Farms’ produce supplier in Mexico is responsible for the latest outbreak.
“The recent false positive results do not change the basis for FDA’s ongoing outbreak investigation,” the agency said at a press conference on July 20.
