Michigan health officials eased the state’s guidance on lettuce consumption on Thursday amid declining numbers of cyclosporiasis cases.
State residents are now advised to follow “routine guidance” when consuming produce, following earlier “broad, precautionary recommendations” against the purchase and consumption of bagged salad mixes during the height of the outbreak.
The state has reported 12,485 cases since June, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Of these cases, 279 have resulted in hospitalizations and two people have died.
Cyclosporiasis is typically not deadly, and the health department noted the two deaths were tied to other preexisting health conditions. Symptoms of the illness include diarrhea, loss of appetite and other stomach-related issues.
The department said in its guidance update this week that most of the exposures to this parasite occurred in late June and early July and that most of the contaminated produce was “likely no longer available for consumption.”
The cyclosporiasis outbreak has affected U.S. residents across 47 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As of Tuesday, 10,468 laboratory-confirmed cases have been reported to the CDC since May 1, including 517 hospitalizations and the two deaths in Michigan.
The public health agency noted that the contraction rate of this parasite is likely much higher, pointing to more than 12,255 cases that have not been confirmed through lab testing. Many of these unconfirmed cases have come from Michigan.
No specific grower has been confirmed as the source of this outbreak. Taylor Farms, a major lettuce supplier that services chains like Taco Bell, voluntarily recalled all of its iceberg lettuce grown in central Mexico on July 17. The company said it made this decision “out of an abundance of caution.”
Michigan residents are still encouraged to avoid recalled lettuce products, and the state health department said it will “continue to monitor the situation closely” and update health guidance if necessary.
“Since the start of this outbreak, MDHHS has remained committed to providing timely, transparent information and clear recommendations to Michigan residents,” the state health department’s chief medical executive, Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, said in the Thursday update. “As new data has emerged, our guidance has evolved to reflect the best available evidence, helping ensure that prevention recommendations are accurate, actionable and responsive to the changing situation.”
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