Four Democratic members of Michigan’s congressional delegation are pressing two federal agencies for answers and action on the cyclosporiasis outbreak that has hit their state especially hard.
The foodborne parasitic infection — which has symptoms that include severe diarrhea that can persist from days to weeks — has been found in at least 34 states, but Michigan’s more than 5,000 reported cases is highest in the nation.
On Friday, July 17, Democratic U.S. Reps. Debbie Dingell of Dearborn, Kristen McDonald Rivet of Bay City, Hillary Scholten of Grand Rapids, and Rashida Tlaib of Detroit, wrote the acting heads of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration, asking what investigative steps the agencies have taken to identify a definitive source of the outbreak, among other questions. They also asked whether and how recent federal staffing cuts are hampering efforts to control the outbreak.
“The rapid increase in cases, coupled with the Trump Administration’s efforts to dismantle our nation’s public health infrastructure, raises serious questions about the federal government’s ability to effectively detect, investigate, and respond to public health emergencies,” the lawmakers said in their letter to Jay Bhattacharya, acting director of the CDC, and Kyle Diamantas, acting commissioner of the FDA.
“The people of Michigan — and all Americans — deserve confidence that the food they purchase and consume is safe,” the lawmakers wrote. “They also deserve a strong federal public health system that works in close partnership with state and local health departments to rapidly identify foodborne threats, provide clear and timely guidance to the public, and prevent additional illnesses.”
Officials at the CDC and FDA did not immediately respond July 17 to emailed requests for responses to the letter.
Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or pegan@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan congresswomen press feds for action on parasitic outbreak
Reporting by Paul Egan, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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By Paul Egan, Detroit Free Press | USA TODAY Network
