A stomach-twisting “explosive diarrhea” parasite has infected at least 50 people in Suffolk County, officials said Tuesday — as Long Island’s total number of cases surged to 66.
The Suffolk County Department of Health has confirmed 49 cases of dreaded stomach bug cyclosporiasis, which sickens victims with diarrhea that can last more than a month, as the island also contends with an outbreak of salmonella.
“The Suffolk County Department of Health Services, in conjunction with our state and federal partners, is monitoring an increase in cyclosporiasis cases,” Commissioner Dr. Gregson Pigott said Tuesday, less than 24 hours after neighboring Nassau County reported 17 cases to date, with 11 testing positive in June alone.
The 17 confirmed cases is an uptick of the 10 cases reported over the same period last year, according to Nassau health officials.
While cyclosporiasis is usually contracted through contaminated food like produce, experts have yet to identify a specific source of the current outbreak.
Health officials from both counties recommended residents wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water before and after handling raw fruits and vegetables, carefully washing all produce before eating it, and using clean cutting boards and utensils.
Heating food to at least 158 degrees Fahrenheit can also kill the parasite, health experts added.
Over 500 cases of cyclosporiasis have been reported in New York state alone, the majority of which have been in New York City, where more than 380 cases have been reported so far this year, state health officials said. That’s three times more compared to the same period in 2025.
Outside of the Big Apple, 129 cases have been reported across the rest of the state as of July 8 — with over half of those coming from Long Island.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said nearly 7,000 people nationwide may have cyclosporiasis, with the state of Michigan having confirmed nearly 4,000 cases on its own.
Public health officials are now reportedly investigating if the lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants around the country have played a role in the outbreak, The Washington Post reported Tuesday.
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