More than 240 North Carolinians have been sickened in the West Virginia cyclosporiasis outbreak since May 1, and investigators have not identified the source. Wake County accounts for almost two-thirds of the cases as of Friday, giving public-health teams a larger concentration of illnesses to trace.
The illness, cyclosporiasis, comes from cyclospora and can cause prolonged diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea and fatigue. More than 100 North Carolina cases were reported in the past week, keeping the outbreak active while county, state and federal partners continue interviews and exposure tracing.
Wake County cases
As of Friday, Wake County had the largest share of North Carolina cases. That concentration gives investigators a clearer place to focus interviews, but the source remains unidentified.
DHHS said its department works with county, state and federal partners to investigate Cyclospora cases by interviewing patients, identifying possible sources of exposure and implementing control measures. Those steps are the standard response path when a food or water source has not yet been pinned down.
CDC surveillance cuts
The outbreak is unfolding after the CDC last year reduced required surveillance through FoodNet, including ending required active tracking of cyclosporiasis cases. DHHS also lost more than $100 million in federal grant funding and 80 positions last year, while state funding decreased by about 1.3% between fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27.
DHHS said its foodborne illness surveillance program has not experienced any staffing changes because of federal funding cuts. The agency also said authorized staffing remained unchanged at roughly 320 positions, leaving the investigation inside a broader disease system that also tracks HIV, AIDS, Medicaid and vaccine-preventable diseases.
Erin Paré on federal help
Erin Paré, a state representative and budget writer, said lawmakers are prepared to work with federal officials if the outbreak needs more resources. “We are always advocating and working with our federal partners on situations like this,” she told WRAL on Monday. “If it gets to the level, if we need to start advocating harder for federal help, we will do so.”
For North Carolinians with prolonged diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea or fatigue, the practical issue is not the label on the outbreak but the missing source. Until investigators tie the illnesses to a specific food or water exposure, the response stays centered on tracing cases, narrowing exposures and watching whether the count keeps rising.
