WHAT IS CYCLOSPORIASIS,
WHO DOES IT AFFECT, AND
WHY SHOULD YOU CARE?
By Cash Michaels
Contributing writer
For the past several weeks, they’ve called it the spreading intestinal disease that’s causing “explosive diarrhea” in several states across the country, including North Carolina. In fact, our state has become prominent in the number of new Cyclosporiasis cases that have been reported.
But for the first time, 2 deaths have now been associated with the outbreak, as Michigan health authorities reported Monday that two people with "significant underlying health conditions" fell victim because of stomach illness and dehydration.
As of July 27 according to the North Carolina Dept of Health and Human Services, North Carolina has reported 718 cases (435 cases alone in Wake County, nine cases in Guilford) since May 2026, 157 newly reported cases since July 21, 24 hospitalizations since May 2026 and eight newly reported hospitalizations since July 21st.
On August 4th of this week, those numbers were updated to 867 cases since May (494 from Wake, 15 from Guilford), 149 new cases since last week, 33 hospitalizations, 9 new hospitalizations since last report.
So what exactly is Cyclosporiasis and why should African-Americans be concerned?
Again, according to the NCDHHS, the number of cases in the state and across the nation are on the rise. “The illness is caused by a parasite called cyclospora. People get sick when they eat or drink food or water that is contaminated with the parasite. Past outbreaks were linked to fresh produce (lettuce, fruit and fresh herbs).”
The produce becomes contaminated when it comes in contact with either waste water, or someone who has handled the food without washing their hands after a bathroom break. Once consumed, it can take at least a week to cause the explosive diarrhea. Depending on your health, that can result in dehydration, loss of appetite, cramping, low-grade fever, bloating, nausea, fatigue and weight loss.
There is no human-to-human transmission.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), if you do become symptomatic with frequent gastrointestinal illness caused by the cyclospora parasite, please be aware that it can last from a few days to a month. It can go away a few days, only to come back.
As reported by national news outlets, the source of the outbreak has allegedly been traced to a California-based company in Central Mexico called Taylor Farms, which reportedly supplies iceberg lettuce to the Taco Bell fast food chain.
But here in North Carolina, according to Newsweek Magazine, health officials “…have indicated that they do not believe cyclospora cases in the state are connected to the Taco Bell outbreak, and likely have several sources.”
The outbreak is currently affecting 45 states, with over 6,707 laboratory-confirmed cases by the CDC, but over 11,000 cases have been reported overall, and increasing, with 198 hospitalizations..
So how do you protect yourself and your family from the cyclospora outbreak?
Thoroughly wash what you eat if it’s raw. No bagged salads. Remove outer iceberg lettuce leaves in food preparation. And pay attention to the latest reports from the North Carolina Dept. of Health and Human Services at https://www.dph.ncdhhs.gov/blog/2026/07/14/cyclosporiasis-north-carolina-what-it-and-how-stay-safe
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LAW TRACKING RACIAL DISPARITY
PRACTICES AMONG POLICE
HAS NOW BEEN REPEALED
By Cash Michaels
Contributing writer
As of July 1st, a state law passed in 1999 that required law enforcement agencies throughout North Carolina to keep track of racial disparities in traffic stops, use of force incidents, searches, and arrests is no longer on the books. For almost thirty years, police officers and highway patrol troopers have been required to collect such information to be stored in a data base for policymakers seeking guidance about trends in policing statewide. But thanks to two sentences on page 448 of the just passed 634-page state budget, that requirement has now been repealed.
Because Republican legislative leaders in the NC General Assembly are technically responsible for writing the much delayed budget that was finally passed last month a year over schedule, Democrats were quick to point their fingers at the GOP majority for slipping the language in to the budget agreement without their approval.
A spokesperson for Democratic Gov. Josh Stein told The Raleigh News and Observer the removal of the law enforcement data requirement law “…undermines the trust law enforcement officers have worked to build in their communities." “Greater transparency leads to greater accountability. This criminal justice data helps our law enforcement agencies better serve their people and makes North Carolina safer and stronger.”
Other Democrats are admitting that they knew nothing about the provision when they voted.
Republican legislative leadership, on the other hand, say that law enforcement agencies requested the repeal because they “weren’t using the information.” Those include The N.C. Association of Chiefs of Police and the N.C. Sheriffs Association.
Now there’s concern about what will happen to the statewide information already collected since Jan. 1st, 2000. The law ultimately required all law enforcement agencies in cities or towns with populations of 10,000 or more to record the data about their traffic stops, arrests, searches and use of force incidents for later reference to determine if there were racial inequalities in police practices and where. Whenever there was an allegation of a racially disparate traffic stop, for example, previous data from that city, town or region of the state could be referred to either in court, or in addressing the allegation.
Law enforcement countered that being required to record the names, racial descriptions and ages of members of the public they came in contact with took time away from their ability to better do their jobs.
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