What To Know About Cyclospora In Minnesota
It is highly likely that you have been following the Cyclospora outbreak that has hit several states across the country. I had never heard of Cyclospora until this month and now it is nearly every headline.
Rightfully so, as the foodborne parasite causes some intense symptoms including severe diarrhea, vomiting and nausea. In some cases, it even includes abdominal cramping.
With any health-related story like this, it caught on like wildfire. This makes sense, considering everyone wants to stay safe and avoid any health conflicts - especially one like this.
With that said, we also learn new information that gets buried under the long list of headlines. I decided to do some research regarding Cyclospora in Minnesota and bust some myths I thought were true until now.
What To Know About Cyclospora In Minnesota
According to the University Of Minnesota Extension, as of July 23rd, no Minnesota-grown produce has been linked to this particular outbreak. It is also not spread from person to person, so you don't need to worry about being contagious.
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They also share something else that might put your mind at ease: Minnesota farmers usually use well water to irrigate their fruits and vegetables. This type of water is 'very unlikely' to contain human feces, which carries the parasite. (Not fun to think about, I know.)
Farmers are also required to test their water, which lowers your chances of getting Cyclospora even more.
According to the Minnesota Department of Health, there were no outbreaks of Cyclospora in Minnesota last year but there were 68 cases reported. So far, since May 1st, the CDC says between one to 49 people have been impacted in this outbreak, which is below the number of cases from last year.
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Of course, this number may be higher as people may have become infected and never reported it or sought treatment. This number also may include people who became infected in a different state but showed symptoms once they returned to Minnesota.
There you have it: Minnesota is not one of the nine states tied to the original outbreak and is reporting a very normal number of Cyclospora cases based on past data. Things can always change as the investigation is ongoing but the good news is that there is no reason to panic right now.
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