Puerto Rico's Department of Health confirmed on Tuesday the island's first case of cyclosporiasis, an intestinal infection. The patient, who was not immediately identified, had a history of international travel and is now recovering. The origin of the trip was not specified.
The Health Department cited its Water- and Foodborne Communicable Disease Surveillance System, which identified this as an imported case tied to travel abroad. Separately, the Department of Agriculture said it maintains a surveillance plan at the island's main docks, inspecting vegetables, plants and fruits for the Cyclospora parasite that causes the illness, though it has not halted entry of any infected product so far. The article notes the outbreak has affected several U.S. regions for weeks, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirming over 7,000 cases nationwide while continuing to investigate additional incidents.
The disease, sometimes called "explosive diarrhea," causes gastrointestinal problems that can last several days, with symptoms including diarrhea, cramps, nausea, fever, muscle pain and weight loss.