India, July 15 -- An intestinal parasite has sickened close to 7,000 people across the US since May, in an outbreak that health officials say is on course to surpass the country's worst cyclospora tally recorded in 2019.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Tuesday it had recorded 1,645 confirmed domestic cases of cyclosporiasis since May 1 and was analysing more than 5,100 reports across 34 states, with no deaths so far.

Michigan is the epicentre, reporting 3,309 cases on Tuesday - against the 40 to 50 the state normally records in a full year, according to its department of health.

State officials there believe lettuce or salad greens are the likely carriers. Michigan's chief medical executive Natasha Bagda...