By Michele Evans
New York City, New York
Date: 7/14/2026
Category: Public Health / Food Safety / Consumer Protection / Accountability
NEW YORK CITY, NY – Nearly 400 New Yorkers have been diagnosed with cyclosporiasis since May, yet health investigators still have not identified the food or supplier responsible for the growing outbreak.
New York City reported 273 confirmed cases from May 1 through early July. State health officials reported another 125 cases outside the city during the same period, bringing the combined New York count to 398. The city had recorded 301 cases for all of 2026 when its figures were released.
Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by the microscopic Cyclospora parasite. It is usually contracted by eating food or drinking water contaminated with the parasite, often involving raw produce. It is not commonly spread directly from one person to another.
The illness can be brutal and prolonged. Symptoms can include frequent watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, fatigue, appetite loss, weight loss, bloating, and low-grade fever. Without treatment, symptoms can last for weeks, disappear, and then return.
People with persistent symptoms should not be dismissed as having an ordinary stomach bug. Cyclospora may not appear on a routine stool test, so patients may need to ask whether specific testing is appropriate. The standard treatment is trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, commonly known as Bactrim, although treatment decisions belong with a medical professional.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 843 confirmed cases and 86 hospitalizations across 31 states as of July 9. Federal numbers lag behind state reports, sometimes by weeks, which means the national count does not yet reflect every case already reported locally.
Investigators with the CDC, Food and Drug Administration, and state and local health departments are tracing purchases and supply chains. Michigan officials say lettuce or salad greens may be connected to that state’s much larger outbreak, but no specific product, grower, or supplier has been confirmed. Officials have not established that Michigan’s suspected exposure is the source of New York’s cases.
That uncertainty must remain clear. Health warnings should help consumers protect themselves without falsely accusing a farm, store, restaurant, or product before evidence establishes a link.
Washing produce under running water, cleaning firm fruits and vegetables with a brush, refrigerating cut produce promptly, and washing hands with soap and water can reduce risk. Washing does not guarantee that every Cyclospora organism will be removed, and soap or bleach should never be used on food.
The unanswered question is not just what made people sick. It is how quickly public health agencies can connect cases across jurisdictions, identify a contaminated supply chain, and warn the public before hundreds more people suffer.
Until the source is confirmed, New Yorkers deserve frequent case updates, specific testing guidance for clinicians, and immediate disclosure if investigators identify a product that should be removed from kitchens and store shelves.
Sources
Gothamist: Top Tips to Avoid a Hot Diarrhea Summer Amid Cyclosporiasis Outbreak
Reuters: What to Know About the U.S. Outbreak of Cyclosporiasis
Associated Press: How to Stay Safe and Still Enjoy Produce During the Cyclospora Outbreak
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