RALEIGH, N.C. – North Carolina is reporting a significant increase in cyclosporiasis cases. There are now 561 confirmed cases statewide since May 1st. That’s up by 254 cases over last week. Most are in Wake County, while Mecklenburg County is reporting 29 cases. The gastrointestinal parasite is known to cause explosive diarrhea. The Department of Health and Human Services investigates each case and collects a detailed history of what each patient ate before getting sick. The state has not identified a single source of the outbreak in North Carolina but says commonly reported foods include parsley, cilantro and lettuce. Dr. Carl Williams of the NC Dept. of Health and Human Services says, “You do what you can do. Which is to wash these foods thoroughly even if they say they are pre-washed. That’s no guarantee that you’ll eliminate any cyclospora parasites that are on the food, but it’s better than not doing it.” 16 people have been hospitalized with cyclosporiasis in North Carolina since May 1st. ...read more read less