SerpApi.Org
Michigan health officials reported 600 more cyclosporiasis cases on Wednesday, bringing the state's total to 7,171.
That represents a 9% increase over Tuesday's total of 6,571, according to Michigan Department of Health and Human Services data.
Cyclosporiasis is a parasitic illness that usually causes frequent, watery and explosive diarrhea. The state health department said that as of last Thursday, 102 people have reportedly been hospitalized.
Michigan and Ohio appear to be leading the outbreak, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which said Tuesday that it has received reports of 4,173 laboratory-confirmed cases of the illness and knows of over 7,4000 additional cases that are not lab-confirmed — many of them from Michigan and Ohio.
"State data may include probable and confirmed cases, resulting in higher case counts than what CDC reports," according to the CDC.
The CDC, the Food and Drug Administration, and state public health officials are investigating an outbreak of Cyclospora infections linked to iceberg lettuce in five states, the CDC said. The agency said it's also investigating other outbreaks and illnesses of cyclosporiasis nationally that are unrelated to that outbreak.
Taylor Fresh Foods said in a Monday statement that, on July 17, it voluntarily recalled all iceberg lettuce grown in central Mexico that was identified as the potential source of the Cyclospora outbreak. It said the recall has been completed, with products removed from the marketplace.
Cases have been reported in 65 of Michigan's 82 counties as of last Thursday, according to the state health department. The largest numbers at the time were in Wayne County with 582 cases, Washtenaw County with 474, Oakland County with 396 and Ingham County with 393.
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson Lynn Sutfin said Monday that her department recommends Michigan residents continue to purchase whole heads of lettuce, instead of pre-washed, bagged lettuce or pre-mixed salad kits, and follow the safety guidance it has provided.
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Michigan cyclosporiasis case count surpasses 7,000
