A local bakery is turning the outbreak of an intestinal illness into an opportunity for a doughnut run.
There are 65 local cases of cyclosporiasis, an intestinal illness that causes explosive diarrhea and other uncomfortable symptoms, in Summit County as of July 15. More than 400 connected infections have been reported in Ohio, Michigan, West Virginia and Kentucky, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials.
While a single source of the outbreaks has not yet been confirmed by the CDC, Michigan health officials said they are looking into lettuce or salad greens as a potential source for its state’s outbreak.
Stan’s Northfield Bakery posted a flyer July 14 on Facebook stating, “Guess what doesn’t give you explosive diarrhea? Donuts.” The announcement has illustrations showing a platter of doughnuts, a canceled-out bowl of salad and even pop-up poop emojis.
“Finally the doughnut shop bakery isn’t the villain,” said Leslie Srodek-Johnson, granddaughter to Stan Srodek, who founded the bakery in 1961. “We always get a bad wrap for making people chubby so this time we’re in the clear. You’ll be happy eating your doughnut and you won’t have potty problems”
Summit County Doughnut Trail
Not sure where your nearest locally owned doughnut shop is? Check out the businesses featured in our doughnut crawl we put together a while back. Here is the Summit County Doughnut Trail list.
Shops can be visited in any order but it is important to note that some, such as Jubilee Donuts, have more than one location. Beacon Journal reporter Tawney Beans suggests arriving just after they open so you have the best selection of doughnuts to choose from.
What kills cyclosporiasis?
Cyclosporiasis is generally transmitted by eating contaminated produce. While some health departments recommend thoroughly washing fruits and vegetables, they are safest to eat when cooked. Heating food to 158 degrees Fahrenheit or higher kills the parasite.
Where is cyclosporiasis?
As of July 16, the Ohio Department of Health’s infectious disease tracker shows 1,249 cyclosporiasis cases in the state since June 20.
Nationwide, since May 1, the CDC has received reports of 1,645 confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis and is aware of more than 5,100 cases that require further analysis to confirm.
The true number of illnesses is likely higher than what has been reported to the CDC because cyclosporiasis is often underdiagnosed and underreported, according to the CDC’s website.
More recent data on the number of nationwide cases as of July 16 was not yet available from the CDC.
Got a story recommendation? Contact Beacon Journal reporter Tawney Beans at tbeans@usatoday.com and on Twitter @TawneyBeans. And follow her adventures on TikTok @akronbeaconjournal.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: ‘Guess what doesn’t give you explosive diarrhea? Donuts,’ says Akron bakery
Reporting by Tawney Beans and Lauren Cohen, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Tawney Beans and Lauren Cohen, Akron Beacon Journal | USA TODAY Network
