Cases of diarrhea-causing parasite rise in Florida, with Miami-Dade leading in confirmed cases

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — Cyclosporiasis cases continue to climb nationwide, including in Florida, where the state Health Department has reported 154 confirmed cases and four more suspected cases.

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Miami-Dade County has the most in the state at 33. Broward has 13 confirmed cases and Monroe County has one.

Florida health officials say 98 of these infections were acquired in state while the rest were either acquired out-of-state, but in the U.S., or outside of the country.

The update comes a week after Taylor Farms expanded a voluntary recall of its iceberg lettuce products sourced from central Mexico because of a potential link to the multistate cyclospora outbreak that has sickened people across the country.

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Products with the potential to be contaminated with the diarrhea-causing parasite were shipped to 27 states including Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania, Illinois and New Jersey, the California-based company said in a statement last week.

The Taylor Farms recall announcement listed 25 shredded lettuce and salad mix products sold under eight different brand codes. Taylor Farms did not respond to an emailed request from the Associated Press for the full names of those brands or retailers. The recalled products were shipped as recently as July 16 and have “best by” dates as late as Aug. 3.

Remember, to prevent contamination, wash your hands and fresh produce thoroughly before eating.

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