Bernie Mont
•7/10/2026
Health officials in Lee County are urging residents to wash their fruits and vegetables thoroughly after a spike in cyclosporiasis cases, with eight reported locally between June 1 and July 4.
Dr. Jayanta Gupta, a professor of public health, highlighted the unusual increase in cases.
"Typically we do have a few cases in Southwest Florida every year between, say, zero and five cases. This year we have seen a local spike in the number of cases," Gupta said.
The eight cases reported by the Florida Department of Health in Lee County are the highest of any county in Florida, which saw a total of 48 cases statewide during the same period.
Cyclospora, a food-borne parasite, can cause illness when people consume contaminated or unwashed produce.
Stephanie Ink, president of Community Cooperative, a food pantry in Fort Myers, said her organization takes food safety seriously, especially when serving vulnerable populations.
"We take those extremely seriously from cleanliness of food, making sure that we're training our staff and our volunteers on how to best handle food, because we're really serving some of Southwest Florida's most vulnerable populations," Ink said.
Ink advised residents to take precautions at home to avoid illness.
"Just being aware of where your food is coming from, when you bring it home, make sure that you're watching it. Make sure you are safe," she said.
Despite the rise in cases, Gupta reassured the public that there is no need for alarm.
"There is no cause at this time for any panic or alarm," Gupta said.
For Estero resident Zachary Messina, the news served as a reminder to be more diligent about washing produce.
"I wash my fruits and vegetables when I get them from the store, but I probably could wash them better," Messina said.
Learning about the illness has made him more mindful.
"That inspires me to clean my future fruits and vegetables more than that. I think I'll be all right," he said.
