All articles tagged with #outbreaks
Taco Bell has reportedly pulled fresh produce across its locations amid a large cyclospora outbreak, with signs mentioning a recall of lettuce, cilantro, onion, pico de gallo, and guacamole, though officials have not confirmed a nationwide recall. Michigan and several other states are seeing rising cyclosporiasis cases. The outbreak source has not been confirmed, and people with symptoms should seek medical care.
Measles cases in the U.S. rose to about 2,170 (93% in 31 outbreaks), with Utah, Virginia, and Pennsylvania among hotspots; Michigan’s cyclosporiasis cases increased by 300 to 572 over the weekend, source under investigation but previously linked to cilantro, basil, raspberries, snow peas, salad kits, and green onions. Frozen blueberries from Chilean distributor Comfrut sold at Publix are recalling after 12 E. coli cases across eight states (May 11–June 5); no definitive CDC/FDA statement yet from officials, though the company confirmed the case window.
Oregon is identified as America’s food poisoning capital, reporting about 67,000 foodborne incidents over the last 50 years—roughly one illness per 63 residents. Delaware and Pennsylvania follow, then Colorado and Nevada, while Alaska ranks as the safest with about one illness per 3,234 people. The rankings come from casino.ca using CDC’s National Outbreak Reporting System data and traveler surveys. With peak summer travel and about 61.4 million Americans expected to travel by car, the overall risk of getting sick from spoiled food is about 1 in 319. CDC tips include washing hands, avoiding lukewarm foods, keeping perishables cold, and cooking meat to safe temperatures.
CDC reports about 145 cases of cyclosporiasis caused by the Cyclospora cayetanensis parasite across 17 states between May 1 and June 16, with Michigan and New York seeing notable increases. While no single multistate outbreak has been confirmed, investigations are ongoing. The parasite contaminates fresh produce (often herbs like cilantro/basil and berries) via water contaminated with feces; heating kills it, but cooking isn’t always practical. Thorough washing of produce, hands, and surfaces is advised (bleach won’t kill it). Symptoms include frequent watery diarrhea, loss of appetite, and low-grade fever 2–14 days after ingestion; staying hydrated is important and seek medical care for severe diarrhea or fever.
The CIDRAP Op-Ed argues the US has already lost measles elimination due to ongoing domestic transmission, with 2025 outbreaks totaling hundreds of cases and 2026 on pace to exceed last year’s, accompanied by genomic data showing a single, continuing transmission chain across multiple states. It contends that PAHO/WHO criteria define elimination strictly, and delaying or redefining the status won’t restore it; only interrupting transmission for a full year and rebuilding vaccination coverage and surveillance will. The piece criticizes weakened public health funding and messaging that downplays the situation, urging candid acknowledgement and a renewed, concerted vaccination and surveillance effort to reclaim elimination.
ProPublica investigates Raw Farm, the nation’s largest raw-milk dairy, whose unpasteurized milk and cheeses have been tied to more than 230 illnesses across eight outbreaks since 2006, with dozens of hospitalizations. Regulators have repeatedly sanctioned the operation, but enforcement has waxed and waned amid recalls, lawsuits and political shifts, including changes at the Health and Human Services leadership that slowed action. The piece follows affected families, the farm’s controversial practices (including diverting tainted milk into cheese) and Mark McAfee’s defiant stance as raw-milk advocates push for broader access, highlighting the clash between public health safeguards and consumer choice.
As U.S. measles outbreaks rise due to declining vaccination rates, researchers and biotech firms are racing to develop an approved antiviral or treatment, though none exists yet; the resurgence highlights the ongoing health and economic costs of low vaccination coverage and has spurred renewed interest in antiviral strategies and potential therapies under investigation by scientists.
A nationwide map visualizes current norovirus activity, highlighting areas with higher levels across the United States and offering practical guidance on hygiene and prevention to curb transmission.
Wastewater data show norovirus activity remains high across much of the U.S., with rising levels in the Northeast. In the period Aug. 1 to May 7, the CDC’s NoroSTAT program logged 1,194 outbreaks, roughly in line with past seasons, while multiple strains including GII.4 and GII.17 are circulating. The newer variant can spread more easily due to partial immunity gaps, but there is no specific antiviral treatment. Norovirus is highly contagious and spreads via contaminated food, surfaces, and close contact; prevention centers on handwashing, surface disinfection with EPA-registered products, and avoiding high-risk foods like raw shellfish. Most healthy adults recover in a few days but can remain contagious for up to two weeks.
A century-long review of 1,126 lab biosafety incidents (1900–2025) finds outbreaks are mainly driven by failures to inactivate dangerous pathogens, plus leaks and poor decontamination; personnel type and lab setting influence outbreak risk, while deaths are driven by pathogen virulence (notably prions and RG4 pathogens). The authors suggest risk assessment frameworks and targeted training to improve containment.
Michigan health officials warn of three multistate Salmonella outbreaks linked to backyard poultry, especially baby chicks and ducklings, with 184 cases across 31 states including 21 in Michigan. The strains involved are Salmonella enteritidis, mbandaka, and saintpaul, and many cases involve children under five. Transmission occurs through handling birds and contaminated environments. Officials urge keeping poultry outdoors, avoiding indoor housing, washing hands after contact, keeping birds away from food areas, and seeking medical care if infection is suspected.
In a Washington Post opinion, Abraar Karan argues that the Hondius hantavirus outbreak—and a prior Argentina incident—expose how slow recognition and limited on-site testing hinder outbreak control. Hantavirus can spread between people and cause severe heart-lung illness, with symptoms that are often non-specific and appear weeks after exposure, making early diagnosis challenging. The piece advocates more proactive travel-health screening, broader and faster diagnostics (like metagenomic sequencing and PCR panels), and greater investment in point-of-care tests to curb shipboard and cross-border transmission, while noting cost and biosafety barriers remain substantial.
California posted a record 2,150+ TB cases in 2025 with a rate of 5.4 per 100,000—nearly double the national rate. A CDC/MMWR review found about 50 large TB outbreaks from 2017–2023, many linked to family/social networks or congregate settings and associated with factors like housing insecurity and substance use. The Bay Area saw outbreak testing at Archbishop Riordan High School, and experts say preventing outbreaks will require stronger genomic surveillance, better TB programs, and addressing homelessness and related social determinants of health.
A deadly hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship unfolded over weeks before health authorities identified the cause, prompting urgent investigations, case investigations among passengers and crew, and efforts to determine the source and contain further spread as the ship operated in international waters.
Data from the Vessel Sanitation Program show 23 cruise-ship outbreaks in 2025, with norovirus the most common virus; outbreaks are more likely in the semienclosed environment of ships, with examples including Insignia, Seven Seas Mariner and Star Princess.