Dr. Mehmet Oz speaks at the Wisconsin Air National Guard facility at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport on July 8, 2026, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Mark Schiefelbein-Pool/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — The Trump administration is ending a key health insurance subsidy program that aimed to keep premiums for seniors’ prescription drug plans in check, claiming that it benefits corporate insurance companies, according to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz.
Medicare Part D — the government health insurance program’s prescription drug benefit — is used by tens of millions of older or disabled beneficiaries.
The program’s subsidies are set to expire at the end of the year, the administration announced Tuesday.
That move will likely result in higher prescription costs and increase premiums for about half of recipients, according to an administration official.
The changes are anticipated to happen in 2027 and enrollees will find out the new monthly cost later this fall, administration officials said.
Currently the government pays billions of dollars to insurance companies as a subsidy to keep prescription drug insurance at an average of $36 per person per month, according to KFF, a health policy nonprofit.
Ending the subsidies may increase premiums for some by as much as $20 a month, according to KFF.
The move comes as Affordable Care Act subsidies have expired and health care costs remain a top issue for voters ahead of the midterm elections. The ACA subsidies helped lower the out-of-pocket costs for monthly premiums for people who purchased health care through the health insurance marketplace.
Trump administration officials decried the Biden administration for signing the Inflation Reduction Act, which they allege bailed out major insurance companies and resulted in increased premiums for Americans. Trump officials also claim that billions of dollars were funneled to the companies through Biden’s signature legislation
At the time, Biden officials touted the Inflation Reduction Act for allowing the government to negotiate with drug companies about the pricing for some of their most expensive medicines.
“We are stabilizing the market so this bailout is no longer needed,” Oz wrote in a post on X. “Premiums will go up by less than $10 for most Medicare recipients, with many even seeing LOWER premiums.”
“Every Medicare beneficiary still has access to low-cost plans, and we will continue to lower prescription drug prices for every American patient, from more MFN deals to our policy giving seniors access to GLP-1s for $50 a month,” he added, referring to “most favored nation” deals under which pharmaceutical companies charge U.S. patients the same rate as they charge in other countries.
The news about the Medicare Part D subsidies ending was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.
About half of enrollees will either see a premium increase of less than $10 or a premium decrease and most will have plans available at $10 or less, according to a Trump administration official.
Cyclospora cayetanensis is a unicellular parasite that causes an intestinal infection called cyclosporiasis. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
(WASHINGTON) — Cases of cyclosporiasis, an intestinal illness caused by a parasite, have topped 18,000 in 45 states, according to updated data Wednesday from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Since May 1, at least 6,707 cases have been laboratory-confirmed, including 423 hospitalizations, the CDC noted.
Additionally, the agency said it is “aware” of more than 11,500 additional cases that are not laboratory confirmed or require further investigation and analysis. Many of these additional cases have been reported by Michigan and Ohio, which have linked the bulk of their cases to now recalled iceberg lettuce.
The CDC notes that this parasite typically spikes in the summer months, so other states could be seeing cases tied to other sources.
Health officials have previously said that increases in cases may reflect reporting delays rather than a fresh wave of infections.
The CDC said it can take up to six weeks to determine if a sick person should be counted in the agency’s tally.
Additionally, the average time between infection and when symptoms appear is one week but can take up to two weeks or longer, according to the CDC. This means it may take some time for diagnosis and reporting to catch up.
The ages of those who have fallen ill ranges from 1 to 98 years old, the data shows. No deaths have been reported.
While health officials have linked some of these cases to shredded iceberg lettuce served at some Taco Bell restaurants in nine states, the agency said it is possible there are other potential sources — something officials continue to investigate.
The lettuce at Taco Bell was supplied by Taylor Farms and sourced from central Mexico. Earlier this month, Taylor Farms de Mexico issued a voluntary recall of all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico, with the recall affecting 27 states.
The recalled products were distributed from June 29 through July 16 and have best-if-used-by dates up to Aug. 3.
Additionally, Taco Bell said it is no longer using lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico at any of its restaurants.
ABC News’ Mary Kekatos contributed to this report.
Cyclospora cayetanensis is a unicellular parasite that causes an intestinal infection called cyclosporiasis. (CDC)
(WASHINGTON) — Federal health officials have been investigating five different clusters of cyclosporiasis cases since the start of parasite season in May, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said during a press conference on Monday.
Three of those clusters are considered over, acting FDA Commissioner Kyle Diamantas said. Meanwhile, the largest cluster, linked to shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell locations in five states, has seen cases as recently as last week.
The majority of cases have been reported in Michigan, where there are now 6,148 cases, according to an update Monday morning from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). This is an increase of more than 1,000 cases since Friday.
“I want to stress that our investigation continues, including into other potential sources and commodities for other clusters of illnesses,” Diamantas said during Monday’s press conference.
So far, the CDC has confirmed 1,644 infections linked to the outbreak in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia, and has advised the public not to eat shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell locations in those five states.
The agency said the true number of cases in the outbreak is “likely much higher than the number reported” because many people recover from the illness without medical care and are not tested for the Cyclospora parasite.
Diamantas also addressed a false positive test result over the weekend from a sample of iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico.
Last week, Taylor Farms de Mexico issued a voluntary recall of all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico, with the recall affecting 27 states. The recalled products were distributed from June 29 through July 16 and have a best-by dates up to Aug. 3.
Over the weekend, the FDA said a sample of shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms, which was not part of the recall, tested positive.
However, the agency later clarified that during a re-review of the sample results, it determined the result was a false positive. Taylor Farms issued a statement on Sunday, saying “we were informed that FDA made a mistake.”
“To be clear, at this moment, FDA has not identified a single positive product test result for Cyclospora,” Taylor Farms wrote in its statement Sunday.
“Based on initial information provided by health officials, in an abundance of caution, we completed a voluntary recall of iceberg lettuce from central Mexico. Recalled product was limited to iceberg lettuce grown and processed in central Mexico,” the Taylor Farms statement continued. “All other Taylor Farms products, including all Taylor Farms brand products available for purchase, are not involved in the recall.”
Diamantas said Monday that the false positive did not change the FDA’s findings that linked cases to shredded lettuce from Taylor Farms.
“I also want to be clear that our weakened communications around a false positive test result do not change the basis for FDA’s ongoing outbreak investigation or the epidemiological data supporting the current voluntary recall by Taylor Farms,” Diamantas said.
The FDA similarly shared a post on X Monday afternoon, saying that the epidemiological data supporting the Taylor Farms lettuce recall was “overwhelming.”
“FDA’s traceback investigation and outbreak data continue to converge on shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms locations in central Mexico,” the FDA’s post read, in part. “FDA will continue to work with federal and state partners to investigate this multistate outbreak and ensure products implicated in this outbreak have been removed from the market.”
The CDC said it’s also investigating other cyclosporiasis outbreaks and illnesses unrelated to the larger outbreak. At least 29 other states have confirmed domestically acquired cases since May 1, the CDC reports.
Additionally, 440 cases in 35 states have been confirmed among people who ate or drank food or water that made them sick while traveling outside the U.S. in the days before they came ill, according to the CDC.
Cyclospora cayetanensis is a unicellular parasite that causes an intestinal infection called cyclosporiasis. (CDC)
(NEW YORK) — Hospitalizations in Michigan linked to an outbreak of cyclosporiasis, an intestinal illness caused by a parasite, have surpassed 100, health officials said Friday.
So far, 102 people have been hospitalized, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). There are more than 5,000 cases in the state, an increase of nearly 700 since Thursday, officials said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration are warning consumers not to eat shredded iceberg lettuce sold at select Taco Bells in five states — Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia — after the ingredient was linked to the outbreak. The CDC said that shredded iceberg lettuce sold in grocery stores or served in other restaurants is not affected.
Lettuce supplier Taylor Farms said it is voluntarily removing all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the U.S. market.
Taylor Farms said the FDA traceback indicated a “specific farm” that accounts for “less than 1% of the U.S.’s iceberg lettuce supply” was a potential source, and they have removed all iceberg lettuce from the region indefinitely. No other Taylor Fresh Food products have been impacted and that no branded salad kits contain iceberg lettuce, Taylor Farms said.
“As a family owned and operated company, we are deeply concerned for those who became ill, their families, and the many Americans whose trust in the safety of their fresh produce has been shaken. That trust is something we’ve worked for decades to earn, and we are committed to doing everything in our power to restore that confidence,” Taylor Farms said in a statement Friday.
Preliminary findings by Michigan health officials suggest lettuce or salad greens are the potential source of the illnesses. However, no specific type of produce, grower or supplier has been identified as the source, and federal health officials have not publicly identified a source of the outbreak.
The White House said on Thursday it is “closely monitoring” the cyclosporiasis outbreak and “has a handle on the situation.”
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the White House is working with the FDA and partners at the federal, state and local levels to “increase detection methods,” provide guidance and trace the outbreak.
On Tuesday, Taco Bell said it would voluntarily remove some ingredients at select restaurants as a precautionary measure.
“The health and safety of our guests is our top priority,” Taco Bell Corp said in a statement to ABC News. “Public health officials have not confirmed a link to Taco Bell or any specific ingredient, supplier, restaurant or retailer. While authorities continue their broader review, Taco Bell has voluntarily and temporarily removed limited ingredients at select restaurants as a precautionary measure. We will continue to closely monitor the situation and follow the guidance of public health authorities.“
Federal health officials said cases of cyclosporiasis will continue to rise in the U.S. The season is typically considered to be from May 1 to Aug. 31.
Additionally, the CDC sent out an alert to doctors around the country on Tuesday warning them of an increase in cases of cyclosporiasis.
Michigan health officials previously told ABC News the outbreak could be linked to food contamination.
Earlier this month, MDHHS sent out recommendations to restaurants and other commercial kitchens in southeast Michigan to reduce risks of exposure.
MDHHS data shows that most cases have been among adults, with 30 to 39 year olds making up the highest share.
The outbreak was first identified on June 29, when the Monroe County Health Department announced it was investigating a cluster of cases.
The parasite usually spreads through food or water contaminated with feces, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It does not typically spread person-to-person.
Foodborne outbreaks of cyclosporiasis in the past have been linked to various types of imported fresh produce, such as raspberries, basil, snow peas, mesclun lettuce and cilantro, according to the CDC.
At least 31 other states have reported cases of cyclosporiasis, according to an ABC News tally, analyzing CDC data and state health department data.
Cyclosporiasis is treated with the oral antibiotic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX), commonly sold as Bactrim, Septra and Cotrim, and taken for 10 days, according to the CDC.
The agency says people can prevent infection by thoroughly washing produce, cutting away bruised or damaged parts of fruits and vegetables and refrigerating pre-prepared or pre-cut produce.
Additionally, the CDC recommends washing hands thoroughly with soap and water before handling or preparing raw fruits and vegetables.
ABC News’ Karen Travers contributed to this report.
President Donald Trump has nominated Dr. Erica Schwartz, to be the Director of the CDC, April 16, 2026. (Department of Health and Human Services)
(WASHINGTON) — A confirmation hearing began on Wednesday for Dr. Erica Schwartz to be the next director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Schwartz, a formal deputy surgeon general, was nominated by President Donald Trump in April. Trump made the announcement in a post on Truth Social, describing Schwartz as “incredibly talented.”
Schwartz is the fourth person named or nominated as head of the CDC since last summer. If confirmed by the Senate, Schwartz will replace Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, director of the National Institutes of Health, who took over as acting CDC director in February.
Schwartz earned a medical degree from Brown University and served in the U.S. Navy until 2005.
She served in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, as the Coast Guard Chief Medical Officer and as Deputy Surgeon General from 2019 to early 2021, during the first Trump administration.
“I was very pleased to see Dr. Schwartz nominated to be the next director of the CDC,” Dr. Richard Besser, former acting director of the CDC during the Obama administration, told ABC News. “What struck me is how refreshing it felt to see someone nominated for this job who actually has deep experience in public health and has the credentials necessary to lead a complex public health organization.”
Besser expressed concern about whether Schwartz, if confirmed, will have the independence from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to make public health recommendations, referencing a previous CDC director: Susan Monarez.
Monarez was confirmed as CDC director in July 2025, but she held the post for less than a month. Monarez was fired by Kennedy for reportedly not rubber-stamping the health secretary’s vaccine agenda or firing high-ranking CDC leaders whom he opposed.
The turmoil led to both Kennedy and Monarez appearing in front of Senate committees to address the ousting.
At a Senate hearing, Kennedy denied telling Monarez to accept vaccine recommendations without scientific evidence and claimed she was fired in part because she told him she was untrustworthy.
Besser said he expects that Schwartz will be asked by members of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) about her perspectives on vaccinations, the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the rise of measles in the U.S.
“Those are some of the critical areas I think she’ll be asked about. There are so many other areas that are of concern to those who have relied on the CDC to prevent illness and promote health,” he said.
Sean Kaufman is also appearing before the Senate HELP Committee for his confirmation hearing on Wednesday. Kaufman was nominated to lead the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, which was recently absorbed under CDC as part of an HHS reorganization in 2025.
Kaufman has claimed without evidence that the COVID-19 vaccine caused “excessive death and injury … in the United States and globally.” Health officials have said COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective following clinical trials that involved tens of thousands of people and have since helped save millions of lives.
“What concerns me about Mr. Kaufman is that he has expressed very strong anti-vaccine views, and the ASPR is responsible for the strategic national stockpile,” Besser said. “So, I hope that the committee asks him questions to fully understand the approach that he would take in that role.”
President Donald Trump has nominated Dr. Erica Schwartz, to be the Director of the CDC, April 16, 2026. (Department of Health and Human Services)
(WASHINGTON) — Dr. Erica Schwartz is set to appear before a Senate committee on Wednesday for her confirmation hearing as the next director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Schwartz, a formal deputy surgeon general, was nominated by President Donald Trump in April. Trump made the announcement in a post on Truth Social, describing Schwartz as “incredibly talented.”
Schwartz is the fourth person named or nominated as head of the CDC since last summer. If confirmed by the Senate, Schwartz will replace Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, director of the National Institutes of Health, who took over as acting CDC director in February.
Schwartz earned a medical degree from Brown University and served in the U.S. Navy until 2005.
She served in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, as the Coast Guard Chief Medical Officer and as Deputy Surgeon General from 2019 to early 2021, during the first Trump administration.
“I was very pleased to see Dr. Schwartz nominated to be the next director of the CDC,” Dr. Richard Besser, former acting director of the CDC during the Obama administration, told ABC News. “What struck me is how refreshing it felt to see someone nominated for this job who actually has deep experience in public health and has the credentials necessary to lead a complex public health organization.”
Besser expressed concern about whether Schwartz, if confirmed, will have the independence from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to make public health recommendations, referencing a previous CDC director: Susan Monarez.
Monarez was confirmed as CDC director in July 2025, but she held the post for less than a month. Monarez was fired by Kennedy for reportedly not rubber-stamping the health secretary’s vaccine agenda or firing high-ranking CDC leaders whom he opposed.
The turmoil led to both Kennedy and Monarez appearing in front of Senate committees to address the ousting.
At a Senate hearing, Kennedy denied telling Monarez to accept vaccine recommendations without scientific evidence and claimed she was fired in part because she told him she was untrustworthy.
Besser said he expects that Schwartz will be asked by members of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) about her perspectives on vaccinations, the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the rise of measles in the U.S.
“Those are some of the critical areas I think she’ll be asked about. There are so many other areas that are of concern to those who have relied on the CDC to prevent illness and promote health,” he said.
Sean Kaufman will appear before the Senate HELP Committee for his confirmation hearing on Wednesday. Kaufman was nominated to lead the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, which was recently absorbed under CDC as part of an HHS reorganization in 2025.
Kaufman has claimed without evidence that the COVID-19 vaccine caused “excessive death and injury … in the United States and globally.” Health officials have said COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective following clinical trials that involved tens of thousands of people and have since helped save millions of lives.
“What concerns me about Mr. Kaufman is that he has expressed very strong anti-vaccine views, and the ASPR is responsible for the strategic national stockpile,” Besser said. “So, I hope that the committee asks him questions to fully understand the approach that he would take in that role.”
Cyclospora cayetanensis is a unicellular parasite that causes an intestinal infection called cyclosporiasis. (CDC)
(NEW YORK) — Reported cases of cyclosporiasis, an intestinal illness caused by a parasite, have surpassed 3,000 in Michigan, the state’s health department said on Tuesday.
Cases jumped more than 600 since Monday. There have been a total of 3,309 cases since June 22, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). At least 44 people have been hospitalized. Michigan typically sees about 50 cases per year.
Most cases have been reported in southeastern Michigan, including Wayne County, where Detroit is located, according to MDHHS.
On Monday, Michigan health officials said lettuce or salad greens could be the source of illnesses in the state.
MDHHS data shows that most cases have been among adults, with 30 to 39 year olds making up the highest share.
The outbreak was first identified on June 29, when the Monroe County Health Department announced it was investigating a cluster of cases.
Michigan health officials previously told ABC News the outbreak could be linked to food contamination. So far no produce, grower or supplier have been identified.
Earlier this month, MDHHS sent out recommendations to restaurants and other commercial kitchens in southeast Michigan to reduce risks of exposure.
The parasite usually spreads through food or water contaminated with feces, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It does not typically spread person-to-person.
Foodborne outbreaks of cyclosporiasis in the past have been linked to various types of imported fresh produce, such as raspberries, basil, snow peas, mesclun lettuce and cilantro, according to the CDC.
At least 31 other states have reported cases of cyclosporiasis, according to an ABC News tally, analyzing CDC data and state health department data.
As of Friday, New York has reported the second-highest number of cases at 470 cases since May 1, followed by Ohio at 364, state health officials told ABC News. Meanwhile, Illinois and Florida are each reporting more than 100 cases as of Friday, according to their respective health departments.
The CDC said it has confirmed 843 domestic cases from May 1 to July 9. The agency wrote on its website that it is “aware that states are likely to report higher case counts of cyclosporiasis than reflected in CDC data and is working closely with states to update numbers as additional cases are confirmed.”
The agency said it expects a six-week reporting lag between illness onset and case reporting to the CDC as it receives and reviews the data.
Cyclosporiasis is treated with the oral antibiotic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX), commonly sold as Bactrim, Septra and Cotrim, and taken for 10 days, according to the CDC.
The agency says people can prevent infection by thoroughly washing produce, cutting away bruised or damaged parts of fruits and vegetables and refrigerating pre-prepared or pre-cut produce.
Additionally, the CDC recommends washing hands thoroughly with soap and water before handling or preparing raw fruits and vegetables.
ABC News’ Youri Benadjaoud contributed to this report.
Adi, 38, has been struggling to access health services for her daughter Camila, 10, who was injured a few months ago, due to the high cost and limited services. (Mauro Jose Medina Garcia/The International Rescue Committee)
(NEW YORK) — As Venezuela continues to recover from powerful twin earthquakes that rocked the north-central part of the country in late June, humanitarian organizations are warning of a “dire” situation on the ground.
The earthquakes, which officials say killed more than 4,400 people and injured more than 16,000, have displaced thousands of Venezuelans.
Aid workers told ABC News that countless people are in need of psychosocial support, in addition to those recovering from earthquake injuries.
Many Venezuelans are also suffering from chronic conditions — such as diabetes and hypertension — and are struggling to get care in the aftermath of the natural disaster.
Additionally, there has been a rise in reports of skin conditions and gastrointestinal diseases due to a lack of clean water and poor sanitation conditions, the workers said.
“The situation on the ground is pretty dire in terms of humanitarian needs,” Aisha Majid, a media manager at the international NGO Save the Children who is currently based in Caracas, told ABC News. “I’ve been here for a week, and there are thousands of families who are displaced on the streets.”
Mobile clinics treating wide range of conditions
Aid workers told ABC News that hospitals in Venezuela are currently overwhelmed treating people injured by the earthquakes, adding that some of the backlog predates the earthquakes.
“There are thousands of patients seeking help, and there aren’t enough doctors or hospitals or primary healthcare facilities,” Claudia Manresa, a regional compliance legal manager for the humanitarian organization Project HOPE in Latin America who is based in Venezuela, told ABC News. “There also aren’t enough medications, so this crisis joins a system that was already overwhelmed.”
Mobile clinics have been helping to fill some of the gaps. Manresa said Project HOPE has two mobile medical units running every day and, as of July 9, they have treated about 2,000 patients.
Save the Children is running a mobile clinic treating both patients with earthquake-related injuries, as well as other health needs including infections and chronic conditions. Majid said the organization is hoping to set up several mobile clinics across the capital of Caracas and the city of La Guaira, which was hit hard by the earthquakes.
Majid recalled that she visited a mobile clinic earlier in the month that Save the Children ran on the northeastern outskirts of Caracas through a local partner, which treated about 150 patients in around four hours.
“The second the clinic opened, there was a queue of people waiting to receive services, which just tells you how much in need people are, and the doctors in the clinic were working nonstop all day, just seeing patient after patient,” she said.
Everardo Esquivel, associate director for communications for the International Rescue Committee (IRC), told ABC News that many healthcare facilities were damaged in the earthquakes. As a result, he said people lost access to primary care and follow-up care.
Thirty-eight hospitals were damaged by the earthquakes, with the main referral hospital in La Guaira exceeding capacity within one day, according to the IRC.
The IRC’s mobile medical unit has been trying to help manage the increase in patient care, providing medicine for those with chronic conditions, including hypertension and diabetes, as well as antibiotics for certain conditions, he said.
Esquivel explained that there’s been a rise in skin conditions and diarrheal diseases due to the lack of clean water in the aftermath of the earthquake. Many shelters have virtually no access to toilets or showers, he said.
“People don’t have access to clean water and to properly clean wounds every day, so they get infections,” he said. “So, it’s two cases [at the mobile clinics]: it’s people with chronic diseases or in need of regular treatment and people who got new diseases related to the situation after the earthquakes.”
Need for psychosocial support
Humanitarian workers told ABC News there are also mental health issues that may arise after the earthquakes.
The World Health Organization said almost all people affected by emergencies experience psychological distress, which generally improves over time, but a fraction of people will go on to develop mental health conditions.
Manresa said Project HOPE is providing what aid workers refer to as psychological first aid, with a psychologist team deployed in La Guaira, offering different activities for kids and for adults.
She said the organization also has several phone lines that people can contact if they need help.
Children are particularly vulnerable. After a disaster, they may develop mental health symptoms including anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
A 2017 review of eight studies of children following natural disasters found that 4% to 23% experienced chronic symptoms, with persistently elevated PTSD over time.
Majid, with Save the Children, said she’s met several children who are experiencing trauma after the earthquake.
Majid recalled meeting an 11-year-old boy who told her he’s scared when he sees cracks in the ground because he thinks it means the Earth will open again. She noted that another boy told her he’s scared to use the bathroom nearby because there is a crack in it.
“What we’re seeing is that there is a huge need for psychological support for children, and this is something that we provide through safe spaces that we run in affected areas,” Majid said. “And this is a place where children can come, they can play for a while.”
She noted that the organization has psychologists and specialists in mental health working with the young people there.
“It’s so important that children not only have a place where they can play but a place where they can also safely express their emotions and find a way to connect with the trauma and the grief that so many of them have been through,” she said.
Cyclospora cayetanensis is a unicellular parasite that causes an intestinal infection called cyclosporiasis. (CDC)
(NEW YORK) — Reported cases of cyclosporiasis, an intestinal illness caused by a parasite, have surpassed 2,600 in Michigan, the state’s health department said on Monday.
Cases jumped by more than 1,000 since Friday for a total of 2,642 reported since June 22, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). At least 44 people have been hospitalized. Michigan typically sees about 50 cases per year.
Most cases have been reported in southeastern Michigan, including Wayne County, where Detroit is located, according to MDHHS.
On Monday, Michigan health officials said that while their investigation into the outbreak continues, current results point to lettuce or salad greens as a potential source of the illnesses in the state.
MDHHS data shows that most cases have been among adults, with the 30-39-year-old group making up the highest share, followed by the 40-49-year-old group and then the 60-69-year-old group.
The outbreak was first identified on June 29, when the Monroe County Health Department announced it was investigating a cluster of cases.
Michigan health officials previously told ABC News that the working hypothesis is that the outbreak is linked to food contamination, but so far, no produce, grower or supplier has been identified.
Earlier this month, MDHHS sent out recommendations to restaurants and other commercial kitchens in southeast Michigan to reduce risks of exposure. The parasite usually spreads through food or water contaminated with feces, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It does not typically spread person-to-person.
Foodborne outbreaks of cyclosporiasis in the past have been linked to various types of imported fresh produce, such as raspberries, basil, snow peas, mesclun lettuce and cilantro, according to the CDC. At least 31 other states have reported cases of cyclosporiasis, according to an ABC News tally, analyzing CDC data and state health department data.
As of Friday, New York has reported the second-highest number of cases at 470 cases since May 1, followed by Ohio at 364, state health officials told ABC News. Meanwhile, Illinois and Florida are each reporting more than 100 cases as of Friday, according to their respective health departments.
The CDC said it has confirmed 843 domestic cases from May 1 to July 9. The agency wrote on its website that it is “aware that states are likely to report higher case counts of cyclosporiasis than reflected in CDC data and is working closely with states to update numbers as additional cases are confirmed.”
The agency said it expects a six-week reporting lag between illness onset and case reporting to the CDC as it receives and reviews the data.
Cyclosporiasis is treated with the oral antibiotic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX), commonly sold as Bactrim, Septra and Cotrim, and taken for 10 days, according to the CDC.
The agency says people can prevent infection by thoroughly washing produce, cutting away bruised or damaged parts of fruits and vegetables and refrigerating pre-prepared or pre-cut produce.
Additionally, the CDC recommends washing hands thoroughly with soap and water before handling or preparing raw fruits and vegetables.
ABC News’ Youri Benadjaoud contributed to this report.
Medical workers disinfect a facility used to treat an Ebola patient at the Heal Africa Hospital on June 4, 2026 in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo. (Daniel Buuma/Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — A second American citizen infected with Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been transferred to Germany for care, the head of the World Health Organization said on Monday.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced over the weekend that the unnamed patient works for a humanitarian aid organization and tested positive for the Bundibugyo virus, the strain of Ebola that is behind the DRC’s outbreak.
In a post on X on Monday, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the WHO, said the organization “has provided clinical care and close monitoring” for the patient in the Ituri province, where most of the DRC’s cases have been confirmed.
Samaritan’s Purse, which has been responding to the outbreak, confirmed on Monday that one of their staff members is the infected patient.
“We can confirm that one of our Samaritan’s Purse staff members working in Bunia, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), has tested positive for the Ebola virus,” Franklin Graham, president and CEO of Samaritan’s Purse, said in a statement. “This respected and faithful staff member has been a part of our Disaster Assistance Response Team for 15 years and has been serving in a logistics capacity in the DRC over the past month. He was not involved in direct patient care at our two Ebola Treatment Centers.”
Samaritan’s Purse said it immediately contacted the CDC, the State Department and the DRC’s government upon learning of the positive test and that the organization has begun contact tracing.
The first American infected with Ebola was a doctor who contracted the disease while treating patients in the DRC. Dr. Peter Stafford was evacuated to Germany at the time to receive specialty care and was hospitalized at Charité University Hospital in Berlin, according to Serge, the international Christian missionary group that employs him.
His wife, Dr. Rebekah Stafford, and their four children were also evacuated to Germany and moved into a separate space at the hospital as high-risk contacts. Peter Stafford was discharged from the hospital in June, and the family has since returned to the United States.
The outbreak in the DRC has led to more than 1,900 cases and more than 700 deaths, according to the latest figures from the DRC’s Ministry of Health.
“As infections among response personnel are not unexpected in an outbreak of this scale, protecting frontline responders must remain a top priority,” the WHO’s Tedros wrote on X. “We are deeply grateful for the courage and commitment of all health workers working to end this outbreak.”
