The ongoing national outbreak of a parasite that causes “watery diarrhea” has not yet spread to Utah.
That’s despite a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention map that indicates the “number of sick people” in the state ranges from “1 to 10″ — a nugget of information that’s spread widely in Utah social media circles.
That information is missing critical context, though, state health officials say: The cases reflected in the CDC map date back to May 1, and in Utah — since then — there’s only been one documented instance of the illness, called cyclosporiasis, and it fell before the current outbreak began spreading.
“A Utah resident, who did not travel, was diagnosed with a Cyclospora infection over a month ago, but there is no connection to the ongoing outbreak,” the Utah Department of Health and Human Services wrote in a news release. “It’s normal for Utah to see cases of this illness beginning in May.”
Cyclosprasis is caused by a microscopic parasite called cyclospora, which can spread to people if they ingest food or water contaminated with feces, according to the CDC. Past cases have been linked to certain types of “imported fresh produce” such as basil, raspberries and leafy greens.
For several weeks now, the U.S. has seen an unusual surge in the illness, with more than 800 cases confirmed across 31 states, according to CDC data. The bulk of the outbreak cases have been reported in Michigan and New York.
State and federal health officials are actively investigating the source of the current outbreak, the CDC’s website states.
Read the full article by Carmen Nesbitt at sltrib.com.
This article is published through the Utah News Collaborative, a partnership of news organizations in Utah that aims to inform readers across the state.