Michigan health officials eased their guidance on lettuce and salad greens after reporting a decline in new cases linked to the cyclosporiasis outbreak.The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said new reports of cyclosporiasis and related emergency department visits have been trending downward after the state recorded 12,485 cases since June.Residents can now return to routine guidance for handling and consuming lettuce and other salad greens. The department’s previous precautionary recommendation to avoid bagged salad mixes is no longer in effect, though officials continue to advise residents to avoid recalled lettuce products and monitor for additional updates.
Cyclosporiasis symptoms typically appear about seven days after exposure but can take up to 14 days to develop. Based on the decline in new reports and related healthcare visits, officials said the outbreak appears to be slowing.“Since the start of this outbreak, MDHHS has remained committed to providing timely, transparent information and clear recommendations to Michigan residents,” Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, Michigan’s chief medical executive, said. “As new data has emerged, our guidance has evolved to reflect the best available evidence, helping ensure that prevention recommendations are accurate, actionable and responsive to the changing situation.”MDHHS said it will continue monitoring the outbreak and will now provide updates on outbreak data weekly on Thursdays. Officials said they will notify residents if conditions change or if evidence suggests additional contaminated products have entered the food supply.
