(DETROIT) - Two people have died in the cyclospora outbreak in Michigan.
State health officials announced Monday, the first deaths confirmed in the U.S. related to the microscopic parasite.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said both people had underlying health conditions that may have been impacted by the intestinal illness and dehydration. The department said it would not provide additional information about the deaths.
Cyclospora is a microscopic, spherical parasite that commonly causes watery diarrhea "with frequent and sometimes explosive bowel movements," according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Outbreaks tend to occur most often in the late spring and summer.
The CDC says the illness, called cyclosporiasis, is rarely deadly.
The heat-loving parasite infects the bowels and spreads through feces. In the past, people have been infected by consuming fruits and vegetables that were exposed to feces-contaminated irrigation water.
The CDC says it is aware of more than 18,000 confirmed or suspected cases in the current surge. But CDC numbers can lag state reports, which suggest the number is more than 20,000 nationwide.