Shoppers change their habits as Cyclospora cases continue climbing in Kansas, Missouri

KSHB 41 reporter Olivia Acree covers portions of Johnson County, Kansas, including Olathe and Lenexa. Share your story idea with Olivia.

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The Cyclospora outbreak in Kansas and Missouri continues to grow, changing how some families shop for groceries.

Missouri has reported 216 Cyclospora cases. The latest available count in Kansas brings the number reported to 289.

Federal investigators linked some Kansas illnesses to shredded lettuce served at Taco Bell. That connection came as of late last week, but the exact source is still being investigated.

Some shoppers are already adjusting their routines in response.

"We are sticking to frozen foods right now, sticking to less fresh, which is not ideal," Ashley Duff said.

KSHB 41

Dr. Sayo Weihs, an infectious disease pharmacist at UHKC, said avoiding possible source foods makes sense, but pinpointing what to avoid remains difficult.

"Not eating a possible source food is good. But it's again, we don't know exactly where the source is. So it's a little bit hard to say, oh, don't eat this product at this time," Weihs said.

Doctors say symptoms often begin like the flu before turning into diarrhea and nausea. Symptoms can last for weeks if untreated. If you experience them for more than a few days, visit a doctor.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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