Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
CDC: At Least 740 Hospitalized During Cyclosporiasis Outbreak
CIDRAP: More Recalls As US Faces Several Foodborne Illness Outbreaks
The summer of 2026 continues to bring toilet trouble for thousands of Americans, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today confirming 13,895 Cyclospora cases and an additional 10,455 infections under investigation. Of the total, 3,427 Cyclospora cases are new this week. And among the cases are two fatalities and at least 740 hospitalizations. (Soucheray, 8/13)
The Hill: Additional Salsas, Dips Recalled Amid Salmonella Outbreak
Additional salsas, guacamole, and more have been recalled in connection to a salmonella outbreak traced back to jalapeño peppers. Taylor Fresh Farms recently recalled multiple salsas, dips, guacamole, and more sold at various retailers across 26 states over the same peppers, supplied by Coast Citrus Distributors. The Mexico-based supplier may be responsible for more than 300 cases of salmonella reported across 27 states, federal investigators said.Several items sold at Whole Foods stores in Illinois and Texas were on that initial list of recalled dips. On Wednesday, the retailer announced a new recall for products containing jalapeños sourced from Coast Citrus Distributors over potential salmonella contamination. (Bink, 8/13)
On the migration of disease-spreading ticks —
NBC News: Ticks That Cause Lyme And Other Diseases Have Migrated South. Are Doctors Ready?
Angela Newman of Biltmore Forest, North Carolina, remembers the “bizarre” symptoms she began experiencing almost a decade ago. Blurry vision, a stiff neck, hypersensitive skin, numbness and weakness that would come and go. She saw a variety of medical specialists, undergoing an MRI, CT scan and psychiatric assessments. The doctors often dismissed her symptoms as anxiety or depression, Newman, 57, said. (Edwards, 8/13)
Global health updates —
Bloomberg: Ebola Outbreak Spreads To Sixth Congo Province, Africa CDC Says
The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has spread to a sixth province and is on track to be the worst in history if it’s not slowed soon, Africa’s top public health agency said. One person died from the disease in Congo’s Bas-Uélé province after they traveled from Isiro in neighboring Haut-Uélé province, Jean Kaseya, director-general of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, said on Thursday. (Kavanagh, 8/13)
CIDRAP: Global Rubella Cases Have Dropped Dramatically Despite 2024 Uptick, According To CDC Analysis
Global cases of congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) have dropped 70% since 2012 as vaccine uptake soared, but they rebounded slightly in 2024, scientists from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and their UK partners said in a recent report. Worldwide elimination is possible if enough people receive a rubella-containing vaccine (RCV) that is 97% effective at protecting against the virus, the CDC said. (Boden, 8/13)
Combating outbreaks and health threats —
The New York Times: A City Mobilizes Against A Stubborn Health Threat: Mosquitoes
It’s been 10 years, but Paulo Gomes still vividly remembers the terror he felt that his wife, Lucirene, would never return from the hospital, that she would die instead of the dengue she contracted from a mosquito bite, her body racked with fever and excruciating pain. She did come home, after 15 days, and recovered fully after several more months. But the experience forever changed how Mr. Gomes thought about mosquitoes. (Mandavilli, 8/13)
NPR: Lenacapavir Is A Mighty Weapon Against HIV. How's The Rollout?
Along the deeply rutted red dirt roads of central Uganda's Lake Victoria coast, there is little for miles beyond banana groves and bustling markets. The landscape is unassuming — and very dusty. Yet few places have done more to shape HIV care. Irene knows this well. For the past three years, the soft-spoken 22-year-old, who is HIV-negative, has been a participant in one of the most influential HIV clinical trials. She asked NPR to only use her first name for fear of discrimination within her community, where participating in an HIV trial can lead others to assume she has HIV. (Ruprecht, 8/13)
CIDRAP: AI-Created Bacteriophage Overcame Resistant Bacterial Strains, But Experts Emphasize Need For Safeguards
In Science, researchers from Stanford University and the Broad Institute report that the functional bacteriophages they created using artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly destroyed strains of Escherichia coli that had evolved resistance to naturally occurring phages, but experts call for safeguards to prevent the technology from being used for harm. (Van Beusekom, 8/13)
