KS: CYCLOSPORA OUTBREAK IN THE KANSAS CITY METRO
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JOHNSON COUNTY, Kansas (KMBC) — Concerns are growing around the U.S. and the Kansas City metro due to a spike in a severe stomach bug.
Cyclospora, a microscopic parasite, is causing the issue.
The exact cause is unknown, but the best evidence suggests it’s coming from produce.
On Wednesday, Chef Sergio Lara with the Culinary Center of Kansas City shared his tips and demonstrated how he cleans fruits and vegetables.
There are a couple of ways: Put produce in a mix of one part vinegar to three parts water. Or, use two tablespoons of baking soda in water. Then, let the produce sit for five minutes in those mixes.
“So it’s going to wash off all the chemicals and all the bacteria,” he said.
As of Wednesday, the state of Kansas reported 55 confirmed cases, with 25 of them in Johnson County.
“This infection, generally speaking, is not terribly severe for, for healthy people, but for, for people with compromised immune systems, it can cause a risk for more severe disease,” said Charlie Hunt, Johnson County Health and Environment Department director.
The Missouri Communicable Disease Report, released Sunday by the Department of Health and Senior Services, lists 43 cases of Cyclospora in the state. The report does not break locations down by county. This number also differs from information provided by the CDC, which lists no confirmed cases for Missouri.
The best recommendations from Hunt and Lara include staying away from cut up produce at the grocery store, and washing what you do get thoroughly.
“We do serve a lot of people. Yeah. So that’s something that we actually started doing more often,” Lara said.
The Cyclospora outbreak is also happening across the country. The CDC issued a national alert Tuesday due to a spike in cases.
That federal agency reports there have been no deaths but 141 hospitalizations.
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