--- title: "Almost the Entire Country Is Drowning in Cases of Explosive Diarrhea" description: "Cases of the explosive diarrhea-causing parasite are climbing into the thousands across 45 states, suggesting the situation isn't \"under control.\"" date: "2026-07-30" modified: "2026-07-30" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/health-medicine/country-drowning-cases-explosive-diarrhea" categories: - "Developments" - "Health & Medicine" --- # Almost the Entire Country Is Drowning in Cases of Explosive Diarrhea ![A color-treated photo of a used up toilet paper roll.]() *Shutterstock / Futurism* Just over a week ago, Health and Human Services secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr [declared]() that the ongoing outbreak of the explosive diarrhea-causing parasite was "under control." But the reality is that cases are climbing into the thousands across 45 states, as [*USA Today* reports](), meaning his reassurances appear to have [been a gross overstatement](). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of cases increased by an additional 2,500 cases between July 21 and July 28 alone. As of [this week](), the CDC has confirmed over 6,700 cases since May 1 and is "aware of more than 11,500 additional cases that are not laboratory confirmed or require further investigation and analysis." There is a bright side: while the symptoms are gross, there have been no known fatalities. There have been 423 hospitalizations so far, but no deaths have been recorded, according to the agency. Health officials are still racing to nail down the source of the outbreak of the microscopic parasite *Cyclospora cayetanensis*, which is known to cause frequent — and often explosive — watery diarrhea. The top suspect so far has been Taylor Farms, one of Taco Bell’s lead suppliers, whose bagged shredded lettuce was initially found by the Food and Drug Administration to contain the parasite. While the FDA has since gone back on that claim, saying the results were a "[false positive]()," Taylor Farms has nonetheless agreed to lead a "voluntary" recall of the allegedly tainted lettuce. The true count of cyclosporiasis cases in the US remains extremely difficult to tally. As the CDC notes, "surveillance updates do not include probable cases." Many people who fall ill "recover without medical care and are not tested for *Cyclospora*." According to a map issued by the agency, the two hotspots are Michigan and Ohio. Michigan alone [passed the 10,000 cases mark today](), according to the state's Department of Health and Human Services. The only states that have yet to report or confirm a single case, per the CDC's map, are Montana, New Mexico, Maine, South Carolina, and Hawaii. Fortunately, it's easy to protect oneself from the parasite. Public health experts recommend thoroughly washing fruits and vegetables or simply cooking them, which kills the tiny critters. **More on the outbreak:** [*Trump Is Having a Major Problem With Diarrhea*]() ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()