Outbreak

• The CDC, FDA, and state public health officials are investigating a multistate outbreak of Cyclospora infections occurring in July 2026. • The outbreak has been linked to the consumption of shredded lettuce and has affected individuals across five different states. • Regulatory agencies are currently collecting diverse data sets to identify the specific source of the contamination and prevent further illnesses.

Officials haven’t released additional information about the person’s identity, age or details on when and how they fell illA legionnaires’ disease outbreak that has sickened dozens of people in New York City has claimed its first life, health officials said Friday.Officials didn’t release additional information about the person’s identity, age or details on when and how they fell ill. Continue reading...

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...

Taylor Farms reportedly linked to outbreak thought to be in Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia and KentuckyWhat is cyclosporiasis, the parasitic illness causing ‘explosive’ diarrhea?Amid an ongoing outbreak of cyclosporiasis, federal health officials are reportedly looking at iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms that was supplied to Taco Bell as a possible source.On Thursday afternoon, the Washington Post, CNN and other media outlets reported that the lettuce supplier had been linked to the outbreak, citing unnamed sources “familiar with the investigation”. Continue reading...

• Michigan health officials announced on Monday that lettuce or salad greens have been identified as the potential source of a widespread cyclosporiasis outbreak. • The illness, caused by the Cyclospora parasite transmitted via feces-contaminated food or water, has sickened thousands of people across the United States. • While greens are the primary suspects, officials cautioned that other food sources have not yet been completely ruled out in the investigation.

• Health news reports are highlighting a current outbreak of cyclosporiasis, a parasitic infection that causes severe diarrhea. • The reports also address the consequences following the expiration of Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies and issues involving the FDA CBER acting director. • These updates matter as they track public health threats and the accessibility of healthcare coverage for affected populations.

• A multistate outbreak of cyclosporiasis has been identified across the United States, though the specific source of the contamination remains unknown. • Health officials are urging individuals to report all suspected cases of the parasitic infection to their local health departments to assist in tracking. • The situation is critical as identifying the source is necessary to prevent further infections and provide guidance on patient management.

• 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.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says they are scouring food supply chain for culprit, which may be lettuceWhat is cyclosporiasis, the parasitic illness causing ‘explosive’ diarrhea?Federal health officials said they expect the outbreaks of cyclospora – a parasite that causes watery, explosive diarrhea – across the US to continue through August as they scour the food supply chain for the culprit.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have identified 1,645 lab-confirmed cases of the parasite; reported that 145 people have been hospitalized; and reported that they have a backlog of 5,100 cases that require more analysis, including interviews. Continue reading...

The reported infections are the latest in a series of health concerns at the federal immigration jail in AuroraAt least 12 people detained at a federal immigration jail in Colorado have contracted tuberculosis in recent days, according to testimony from inside the facility where dozens of others have reportedly been placed in quarantine.Those affected by the outbreak are also being made to endure their isolation without air conditioning, one detainee who has been at the facility in Aurora since December told the Guardian, through his partner, in a telephone call on Monday afternoon. Continue reading...

Outbreak comes a year after Trump administration cut funding for state and local health departmentsWhat is cyclosporiasis, the parasitic illness causing ‘explosive’ diarrhea?State health officials in Michigan and Ohio are reporting thousands of cases of cyclosporiasis, a – a parasitic infection that causes “watery diarrhea”, loss of appetite and weight loss.The outbreak of more than 2,800 cases comes a year after the Trump administration cut funding to state and local health departments and reduced the remit of a program dedicated to coordinating information on food borne illness, including of cyclospora. Continue reading...

• The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda declared Ebola outbreaks on May 15, 2026, following lab-confirmed cases of the Bundibugyo virus. • Infections were specifically identified in northeastern DRC and Kampala, the capital city of Uganda. • The CDC is currently responding to the outbreaks, though officials state the risk of spread to the United States remains low due to robust public health and infection control measures.

Officials say climate crisis ‘worsening our exposure’ to bacteria as at least 28 people sickened in ManhattanA New York outbreak of legionnaires’ disease, a rare but severe form of pneumonia, highlights the microbe’s growing and disproportionate impacts in a warming climate.At least 28 people have been sickened in an outbreak on the Upper East Side, a wealthy neighborhood between Central Park and the East River in Manhattan. Health department officials, seeking to stop the outbreak, have sampled water from nearly 160 building cooling towers to test for the bacteria. Continue reading...

• The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially declared the end of the hantavirus outbreak that was linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius. • While the hantavirus threat has subsided, the WHO issued a critical warning regarding an escalating Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). • The situation in the DRC is deteriorating rapidly, with health officials reporting nearly 40 new Ebola infections occurring on a daily basis.

• South Korean prosecutors have indicted HD Hyundai Oilbank and two of its officials for their involvement in a massive price-fixing scheme. • The case is estimated to be worth 26 trillion won (approximately $17 billion) and allegedly occurred following the outbreak of the US-Iran war. • This legal action highlights the government's crackdown on market manipulation within the domestic refining industry to protect consumers from artificial price hikes.

• The FDA updated a Salmonella outbreak warning on June 30, 2026, reporting 119 illnesses across 36 states, including 32 hospitalizations. • The expanded recall now includes products from TNVitamins, Live it Up, Doctor's Pride, and Why Not Natural. • This escalation highlights significant public health risks associated with contaminated moringa supplements.

• A recent Ebola outbreak highlighted critical failures in early detection after weeks were wasted testing for the wrong viral strain. • Infectious disease experts Krutika Kuppalli and Placide Mbala argue that the inability to rapidly identify the specific pathogen hindered effective containment efforts. • This failure underscores a systemic need to transition from pathogen-specific diagnostics to "pathogen-agnostic" systems that can identify unknown threats.

The outbreak infected 13 people and ‌killed threeSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailThe World ⁠Health Organization on Thursday declared the ⁠hantavirus ⁠outbreak ​linked to a cruise ⁠ship over after the last identified ⁠contact of an ​exposed ‌person ‌completed quarantine and tested ‌negative for the virus.The outbreak, which infected 13 people and ‌killed three, involved the Andes virus, ​a rare hantavirus strain that typically circulates in ⁠Argentina and Chile. ​The cruise ​ship, MV Hondius, ​set off ​from ‌Argentina ​on ​1 April. Continue reading...

If we don’t know the source, not only do humans remain at risk but wildlife can suffer needlessly via retaliationWhile virologists and public health departments were palpitating over the news of an Andes virus infectious disease outbreak on a cruise ship (13 cases, three deaths), in the Democratic Republic of the Congo the Bundibugyo virus, the root of the current Ebola outbreak (currently more than 1,250 cases and at least 362 deaths), was smouldering under the radar.Bundibugyo virus is a horrifying, highly fatal pathogen. Symptom onset is sudden and includes headaches, diarrhoea, malfunctioning kidneys and liver, and, less frequently, internal and external bleeding (hence the term “haemorrhagic disease”). Grimly, contagiousness remains after death, meaning the family and loved ones of the deceased can be exposed when they wash and clothe the body in preparation for the funeral. Continue reading...

• Two peer-reviewed reports published this week analyzed measles outbreaks in Texas and South Carolina to determine the primary barriers to disease control. • The findings reveal that a lack of community trust, rather than simply low vaccination rates, serves as the central obstacle to stopping the outbreaks. • This shift in understanding suggests that public health strategies must address social trust and communication to effectively increase vaccine uptake.

• Frontline medics warn that the current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo could take another six months to bring under control. • The WHO's Africa response lead has critically rated containment efforts as a 3-4 out of 10, highlighting significant lags in the response. • Separately, the FDA approved Capvaxive on June 18, 2026, for children aged 2-17 with chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.

• Virginia has expanded a measles outbreak from Buckingham County to include Cumberland County as of June 25. • Statewide confirmed cases have now reached 129 in 2026, prompting the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) to issue guidance for residents and visitors. • This expansion indicates a growing public health threat, necessitating increased vigilance and adherence to vaccination and safety protocols.

• The current Ebola outbreak in Bundibugyo shows a death rate of 26%, which is significantly lower than the 40-70% fatality rate recorded during the 2014–16 West Africa epidemic. • In other health news, the FDA approved Capvaxive on June 18, 2026, for children aged 2-17 with chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. • On June 17, the federal government announced $223.1 million in funding for CCBHC community mental health clinics to improve care access and reduce emergency room visits.

• A Salmonella outbreak linked to moringa leaf supplements has expanded to 119 reported cases across 36 U.S. states as of May 2026. • Health officials have issued warnings and multiple brands have recalled affected products to prevent further infections. • The situation is critical as it highlights contamination risks in herbal supplements, prompting consumers to identify and discard tainted products.

• Biotech companies including Soligenix, Moderna, Regeneron, and Aethlon Medical are accelerating the development of vaccines and therapeutics to combat a global outbreak of Bundibugyo ebolavirus in 2026. • Regeneron's maftivimab, a potent antibody found in the FDA-approved Inmazeb, has been recommended by the WHO's Therapeutics Advisory Group for use in clinical trials. • Aethlon Medical (Nasdaq:AEMD) is preparing to coordinate with global health authorities to deploy its Hemopurifier device as part of the medical response.

• Two new reports, including one from the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, analyze the difficulties in containing recent measles outbreaks within the U.S. • The studies focus on a major outbreak that began on October 2, 2025, in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, marking the largest U.S. outbreak since the disease was declared eliminated in 2000. • Researchers identified complex social and cultural barriers that hinder essential public health efforts, specifically vaccination, testing, and education.

• WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced that clinical trials for two experimental drugs will launch next week in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. • The trials will evaluate whether the antivirals MBP134 and remdesivir, provided via donations from the United States and Gilead Sciences, can reduce mortality rates. • This intervention is critical because the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola currently has no approved vaccines or therapeutics, and this is only the third such outbreak in history.

A clinical trial testing two drugs against the Bundibugyo ebolavirus, which is driving a fast-moving outbreak in Central Africa, is set to begin next week, WHO officials said.