Michigan cyclosporiasis outbreak continues to spike, reaching 7,664 cases
The number of cyclosporiasis cases in Michigan has topped 7,600 as health officials continue to track a parasite that can cause diarrhea and nausea after contaminated food is eaten.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services says there are 7,664 cases in the state as of July 23, up 493 from 7,171 as of July 22.
In addition, 160 people have received hospital treatment as of July 23. That number is also continuing to jump at a fast pace, as there were 102 hospital cases reported as of July 16 and 44 reported as of July 9.
Michigan health officials report the case numbers on Mondays through Fridays. The hospital reports are updated once a week on Thursdays.
Impact in Michigan
The cyclosporiasis outbreak in Michigan came to the attention of state and local health officials in late June.
The state's outbreak was identified first by local officials in Monroe County, and nearly every county in the state has since seen at least one case. Wayne, Ingham, Oakland, Monroe and Washtenaw are among the hardest-hit counties.
Michigan typically sees around 50 cases of cyclosporiasis per year, according to MDHHS.
Federal officials investigating
The Centers for Disease Control says it is "working closely with FDA and state health authorities to investigate multiple clusters of cyclosporiasis" and issued an official health advisory on the matter.
U.S. Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made his first public comment about the outbreak on Tuesday, declaring it under control and denying that cutbacks to monitoring activities have hurt U.S. food safety.
What's causing the outbreak?
Michigan officials said July 13 that testing pointed to lettuce or salad greens as a potential source, though other foods hadn't been ruled out.
The Food and Drug Administration said on Sunday that a sample of lettuce from Taylor Farms that had tested positive for cyclospora was a false positive. That leaves the investigation officially still open.
Symptoms of the ailment
Cyclosporiasis is caused by the parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis and spreads when infected feces contaminate food or water.
Symptoms typically begin about a week after infection and include frequent watery diarrhea, loss of appetite, bloating, nausea and fatigue, lasting from two days to two weeks or longer.
"Without treatment, illness can last for weeks and may come and go," Wayne County health officials said.
A Southfield woman says she has been in the hospital for about two weeks with a severe case of cyclosporiasis.
The above video originally aired on July 22, 2026.
