Consumers stay cautious into the weekend as NC cyclospora cases rise

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — Downtown Raleigh restaurants were busy with diners this week as concerns continue about a growing Cyclospora outbreak in North Carolina.

Josh and Shaelynn Wade of Wendell said they have become more deliberate about where and what they eat after a friend became sick with what they believed was linked to the outbreak.

“I definitely said let’s have sushi tonight,” Shaelynn Wade said.

The couple said they have adjusted some of their dining habits as reports of illnesses have increased.

“When it comes to fast food, I am taking a pause. I have no interest. I think the reputation of the restaurant changes how I’m going to feel about it,” the Wades said.

Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by the parasite Cyclospora. People become sick after consuming food or water contaminated with the parasite.

According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, many people who reported becoming sick linked their illness to either lettuce, cilantro or parsley.

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Vanessa Sanchez said she recently changed her shopping habits after learning more about the outbreak.

“Lettuce is a regular part of our diet. But recently I just found out that it’s from Taylor Farms out of California. So, um, pretty much just staying away from lettuce until they figure out where that source batch came from,” Sanchez said.

Other residents said they are taking additional precautions when preparing food at home.

“We’ve really just started washing our vegetables with vinegar and water and just trying to be a little bit more cognizant,” Maggie Sparling said.

Since May, the number of cases in North Carolina has increased from 13 to 307.

As Raleigh Restaurant Week gets underway, local chefs said food safety remains a top priority.

“All produce comes out, and we triple wash everything, and then it gets put away. And we’re making sure that any of the products that are flagged-blueberries, spinach, asparagus, all that stuff, we’re cooking thoroughly too, so we’re not serving any of that stuff raw, at all,” said Adam Masters, head chef at Irregardless Café.

The precautions are welcome news for the Wades, who said they want to continue enjoying their weekly dinner dates.

“I think the biggest thing that I’m thinking about is how long are we going to have to think about it and avoid lettuce and avoid parsley and cilantro and all the things that we’d like to eat,” the couple said.

Many local restaurants are also working with vendors that are conducting additional checks to ensure food is not contaminated.

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