Cdc

• The CDC has expanded the largest known cyclosporiasis outbreak to 15 states, adding Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, and North Carolina to the list. • Health officials have traced the illnesses to shredded iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico. • This expansion highlights a significant food safety failure and the wide geographic reach of contaminated produce distributed across the U.S.

Schwartz, president’s third pick to lead top US public health agency, confirmed in 51-44 Senate voteDr Erica Schwartz was confirmed by the US Senate as director ‌of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a rare win for the Trump administration after a string of failed attempts to fill senior health posts.Schwartz was confirmed ⁠51-44 by senators. She is Donald Trump’s third pick to run ​the CDC. Continue reading...

Six additional states caught up in investigation after Michigan reported first two US deaths linked to diseaseThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reportedly expanded the largest known cyclosporiasis outbreak to 15 states.The alleged expansion includes the addition of six states, according to the Washington Post, which cited three people familiar with the matter. Those states include Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire and North Carolina, according to a fourth person familiar who spoke to the paper. Continue reading...

• A Cyclosporiasis outbreak has been reported across 17 states, with 145 confirmed cases of the gastrointestinal disease caused by the Cyclospora parasite. • The CDC has issued an alert to health care workers to ensure rapid diagnosis and proper response, as the infection spreads via contaminated food or water. • This outbreak is critical for infection prevention and control (IPC) teams to manage, as timely identification is necessary to protect patients and contain the spread.

• The U.S. is seeing a surge in vaccine policy activity, with over 400 state vaccine bills introduced and nine new laws enacted. • New federal charters have been established through July 2028, focusing on healthy lifestyle initiatives, dietary supplements, and FDA-approved off-label drug use. • To ensure impartiality, the charter mandates that members from academia with pharmaceutical funding cannot exceed one-third of the committee, while public members must comprise at least one-third.

• Former CDC chief medical officer Debra Houry links current outbreaks of measles and foodborne cyclosporiasis to significant public health funding cuts. • Houry resigned from her position one year ago to protest political interference and the leadership of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. • The current administration has reportedly slashed billions of dollars in public health funding, which Houry argues has weakened the nation's ability to manage disease.

Over 11,500 people this summer are suspected to have been sickened by disease that can cause explosive diarrhea, CDC saysInvestigations into the largest cyclosporiasis outbreak on record expanded to nine states this week, as more than 11,500 people are suspected to have been sickened this summer, according to reports and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Data released by the CDC this week said the agency is looking into 4,173 laboratory-confirmed domestic cases of the disease and investigating an additional 7,400. Continue reading...

As measles, hantavirus and cyclospora spread, experts say lost staff and expertise are slowing the responseA series of health challenges – hantavirus, screwworm, Ebola, cyclospora, measles, whooping cough, bird flu – are exposing the widening gaps in America’s ability to prevent, identify and halt infectious disease outbreaks.The rapid dismantling of the US public health system at all levels means the US is in worse shape than it was before the Covid pandemic, former top CDC officials say. Continue reading...

• The CDC reported a decline in healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) for the year 2023, signaling a positive trend in patient safety. • This decrease indicates that hospitals are successfully implementing better infection control measures and safety protocols to protect patients. • The findings matter as reducing HAIs lowers patient morbidity, decreases hospital stay durations, and reduces overall healthcare costs.

FDA investigation identified a single supplier of the lettuce, but federal warnings did not name the companyFederal health officials have identified lettuce from Mexico served by Taco Bell locations across five US states as a source of the widespread outbreak of diarrhea-causing parasite cyclospora.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) late Thursday confirmed the source and warned consumers not to eat shredded iceberg lettuce from Taco Bell restaurants in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia. Continue reading...

During confirmation hearing Wednesday, Trump’s pick tells Senate health committee she will ‘never betray the science’Erica Schwartz, the Trump administration’s latest nominee to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), faced sharp questioning from senators who pressed her to say whether she would stand up to her boss, the health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr.During her confirmation hearing on Wednesday, Schwartz, a deputy surgeon general in the first Trump administration, told the Senate health committee she “will never betray the science” and pledged to use “radical transparency” to rebuild public trust. But she repeatedly deflected questions about how she would handle pressure from Kennedy, a leader in the anti-vaccine movement who has overseen months of turmoil at the agency and made controversial changes to US vaccine policies. Continue reading...

• Clinicians in southeast Michigan and northern Ohio are reporting a surge of gastrointestinal illnesses caused by the parasite Cyclospora cayetanensi. • The outbreak is characterized by sudden, explosive diarrhea, though the CDC is reportedly lagging in its tracking and response efforts. • Acting CDC Director Jay Bhattacharya has addressed staff via internal email regarding the agency's response to the outbreak.

• The CDC confirmed 843 cases of Cyclospora across 31 states as of July 9, 2026, while a separate, larger outbreak in Michigan has surpassed 1,562 reports. • Health officials have not yet identified a specific food source responsible for the infections, though the outbreak persists through the summer season. • This situation is critical as it requires urgent medical attention for severe dehydration and specific antibiotic treatment, such as trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.

Parasite cyclospora spreads through produce and water contaminated with feces and causes the intestinal illness cyclosporiasisThe US Centers for Disease Prevention has been working to find the source of a parasitic illness that causes “explosive”, watery diarrhea, with more than 400 cases of the sickness reported across 18 states.The parasite, cyclospora, spreads through raw produce and water contaminated with human feces – and it causes the intestinal illness cyclosporiasis, whose symptoms include cramps, nausea, fatigue, loss of appetite, low-grade fever and vomiting. The most commonly reported symptom is “watery diarrhea with frequent and sometimes explosive bowel movements”, according to the CDC. Continue reading...

• The CDC paused diagnostic testing for rabies, mpox, and over 24 other diseases in March 2026 following significant staffing reductions. • As of July 1, the agency has not provided public clarity regarding the restoration status of these critical diagnostic services. • This pause creates a gap in public health surveillance and diagnostic capabilities for high-risk infectious diseases.

• The CDC's malaria testing branch faced severe budget or operational cuts in spring 2026, surpassing the reductions seen in the rabies lab. • These cuts threaten the ability to identify specific malaria species, which is critical for determining the correct medical treatment for patients. • Separately, a June 2026 trial indicated that daily probiotics may enhance antidepressant efficacy in seniors, while two other trials showed Paxlovid does not significantly reduce hospitalizations for vaccinated high-risk adults.

• The CDC is ending its federal measles diagnostic testing program, shifting the responsibility for these tests to state laboratories. • While state labs already handle the majority of measles testing, critics are alarmed that the loss of federal oversight could impact surveillance and response times. • This policy shift reflects a transition toward decentralized public health monitoring, though concerns remain regarding the consistency of testing capabilities across different states.

• JAMA Network Open has published a taxpayer-funded study on COVID-19 vaccines that federal officials at the CDC previously declined to release. • The study examines vaccine efficacy and safety, raising questions about why the CDC initially squelched the data and whether the decision was based on political motivations or a desire to protect public confidence. • This controversy highlights ongoing tensions regarding government transparency and the potential suppression of scientific data during the pandemic response.

• The CDC canceled the publication of a COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness study originally scheduled for its flagship Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) in April. • CDC leadership blocked the report citing "methodologic weaknesses," though the study has since been released for public review. • Dr. F. Perry Wilson of the Yale School of Medicine highlighted the incident, raising questions about transparency and the potential suppression of data by health officials.

• A study confirming the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines was published Tuesday by JAMA Network Open after being blocked by a CDC journal. • The research found the vaccine was approximately 55% effective against hospitalizations and reduced emergency department and urgent care visits by 50%. • The publication gained significant attention because political appointees from the Trump administration previously prevented the findings from appearing in a government health publication.

• A study examining COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness was finally published after being blocked from inclusion in a weekly federal government report by the CDC. • The publication follows a separate effort by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who petitioned the FDA to revoke the authorization of all COVID-19 vaccines. • The FDA denied Kennedy's petition three months later, maintaining that vaccines are safe and effective based on clinical trials involving tens of thousands of participants.

• The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is expected to formally end its hantavirus response, according to a Wall Street Journal report citing acting director Jay Bhattacharya. • The decision follows a cruise ship outbreak that occurred nearly two months prior, which resulted in three fatalities. • This wind-down signifies the conclusion of the official public health emergency response to this specific cluster of infections.

• MedPage Today reports on several critical health trends, including a progesterone supply shortage affecting patients, clinicians, and pharmacists. • Experts warn that extreme heat, rather than infectious diseases, may represent the primary health risk for attendees at the upcoming World Cup. • The news digest also highlights systemic shifts, such as a proposed overhaul of the CDC under Donald Trump and a journal editor's resignation over AI policies.

Number of people infected now tops 1,000 though health officials say the global risk remains lowSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter email The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will tap $107m in emergency funding for Ebola outbreak response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, officials said on Thursday.The continued Ebola outbreak in the DRC comes as Canada, Mexico and the US jointly host the Fifa World Cup, attracting visitors from around the world. The officials said the outbreak, now the third largest on record, required “strong immediate support”, but that the global risk remained low. Continue reading...

• The head of Africa's Centres for Disease Control and Prevention warned on Tuesday, June 16, that the current Ebola outbreak in Congo could become the worst on record. • A critical failure in containment has occurred, with tens of thousands of individuals who were in contact with infected patients remaining untraced. • This lack of contact tracing significantly increases the risk of uncontrolled community transmission and a larger-scale health crisis.

Medical societies endorse ACOG’s schedule, saying maternal vaccines are ‘key element’ of protectionThe leading professional organization for obstetricians and gynecologists in the US has launched its first maternal vaccination schedule and diverged for the first time from federal recommendations.The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has long recommended giving the shots during pregnancy, but this is the first time releasing them as an official schedule. Continue reading...

• On June 2, 2026, the CDC issued a travel alert for seven Sub-Saharan African countries—Chad, Guinea, Niger, Nigeria, Mali, Mauritania, and Somalia—following a severe diphtheria outbreak. • The alert follows alarming 2025 WHO data documenting 20,412 suspected cases and 1,252 deaths across Africa, highlighting a critical public health crisis. • The warning serves as a vital notice for travelers and unvaccinated Americans to ensure proper immunization before visiting the affected regions.

• A phase II trial published in Nature Medicine found that combining the drug apitegromab with tirzepatide (Zepbound) effectively preserves lean muscle mass, potentially mitigating the muscle loss known as "Ozempic butt." • Massachusetts General Hospital has established a novel vascular clinic specifically designed to provide critical care to homeless individuals to prevent amputations caused by peripheral artery disease. • KFF Health News is exploring the role of overlooked social connections as a potential preventative measure against suicide.