The state of Michigan has reported the first two deaths tied to the nationwide cyclosporiasis outbreak. More than 11,000 cases of the illness have been detected in the state, and 193 people have been hospitalized since May. According to the CDC, cases have been found in 45 U.S. states. The outbreak comes a year after the Trump administration ended the Food and Drug Administration’s mandatory tracking for Cyclospora and five other pathogens. This is Dr. Rabia de Latour, a gastroenterologist at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine.

Dr. Rabia de Latour: “In 2025, there was a change in the actual regulation of cyclosporiasis in tracking and tracing this specific parasite, and it was changed from being a mandatory tracking and tracing program to voluntary for states. And I think that is also contributing to the fact that this outbreak was so massive.”