This week's Virus Watcher digest saw 491 surveillance posts published, with no system alerts triggered. The top diseases monitored were cyclosporiasis, dengue virus infections, imported measles, tuberculosis, and ebola. Notably, cyclosporiasis and ebola continue to be subjects of significant attention across surveillance data.
A significant cyclosporiasis outbreak continues to spread across the United States, with nearly 7,000 cases reported. The parasitic infection, often linked to contaminated produce or water, has seen Michigan particularly affected. Authorities, including the FDA and CDC, are actively investigating the source, which has been linked to iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms to Taco Bell, leading to multiple product recalls.
The Democratic Republic of Congo continues to face a challenging Ebola outbreak, with official figures reporting 1,873 confirmed cases and 672 deaths. Concerns remain that the actual scale of the outbreak may be larger, with many infections potentially going undetected in communities. In contrast, Uganda has reported discharging its last Ebola patient, initiating a 42-day countdown towards being declared free of the disease.
Separately, the United Kingdom's Kent and Medway regions have reported nine new cases of imported measles since July 1. This highlights ongoing vigilance required for vaccine-preventable diseases. No other significant outbreaks for dengue or tuberculosis were prominently featured in this week's high-engagement posts or critical alerts.
The week's top stories
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DRC Ebola Cases Rise to 1,873, Deaths at 672 The Democratic Republic of Congo has reported 1,873 confirmed Ebola cases and 672 deaths, according to health authorities.
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Nearly 7,000 Cyclosporiasis Cases Reported Across U.S. Reports indicate nearly 7,000 cases of the food-borne parasitic illness cyclosporiasis have been reported across the United States.
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WHO Warns DRC Ebola Outbreak May Be Larger Than Reported The World Health Organisation warned that the Ebola outbreak in the DRC could be significantly larger than official figures indicate, with many infections escaping detection.
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FDA Investigating Produce Items for Cyclosporiasis Outbreak Source The U.S. FDA is investigating multiple produce items, including lettuce, to identify the source of the unusually large cyclosporiasis outbreak.
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FDA to Inspect Farms Amid Cyclosporiasis Outbreak Linked to Taco Bell Lettuce The FDA plans to inspect farms and facilities to investigate how Taylor Farms' lettuce, supplied to Taco Bell, became contaminated with Cyclospora.
This week by the numbers: 491 surveillance items processed, 5 diseases active.
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