US Cyclospora Outbreak Tops 1,645 Cases as Experts Blame Trump Health Cuts

3 articles · Updated · Yahoo! Voices · Jul 31

1,645 confirmed cyclosporiasis cases and 5,100 more awaiting analysis have exposed what experts say is a slower, more confused federal response to the summer outbreak.
A 2025 CDC FoodNet change stopped requiring cyclospora monitoring, and experts say that likely reduced early focus on the parasite even if it did not cause the original contamination.
CDC leadership vacancies—about 80% of top posts, according to one expert—and broader staffing cuts have weakened the agency's ability to alert states, while federal messaging lagged behind Michigan's much larger case counts.
At the FDA, roughly 20% staff losses, a disbanded food-safety advisory committee and delayed traceability rules have further eroded outbreak response and produce traceback capacity.
Experts say the cyclospora episode, alongside measles at a 35-year high, signals a broader shift away from infectious-disease preparedness that could leave the U.S. less ready for future outbreaks.