Active Public Health Outbreaks: Rhode Island
Scope: Active infectious disease outbreaks, environmental hazards, and public health crises.
Urgent Alerts
2
Active Food Safety Recalls (Botulism & Listeria)
High Activity
Pertussis
Significant year-over-year surge
Respiratory Status
Low
Flu, RSV, & COVID-19 activity currently low
ACTIVE Critical Safety Alerts
Infant Botulism Outbreak
Source: ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula
The FDA and CDC are investigating a multistate outbreak of infant botulism linked to contaminated formula. Rhode Island has confirmed 1 case as part of a national cluster of 37 infants across 17 states. All affected infants nationally required hospitalization.
Listeria Monocytogenes Outbreak
Source: Pre-packaged pasta meals & Soft Cheeses
A widespread Listeria outbreak has triggered alerts across Rhode Island. The outbreak is linked to pre-packaged meals (e.g., Nate's Fine Foods) and a November 2025 recall of Ambriola Company cheese products. Nationally, the outbreak has resulted in 6 deaths.
SURGE Infectious Disease Trends
Pertussis (Whooping Cough)
Rhode Island is experiencing a significant resurgence of Pertussis, mirroring national trends where cases are nearly 5x higher than previous years.
Hotspots: School-based clusters identified in Portsmouth, South Kingstown, and Middletown.
Mycoplasma "Walking" Pneumonia
An atypical pneumonia spike was reported in October 2025, specifically affecting children ages 2-4 and 5-17. This follows a global re-emergence of the bacteria post-pandemic.
Seasonal & Environmental Monitoring
| Pathogen / Issue | Current Status (Nov 2025) | 2025 Season Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Respiratory Viruses Flu, RSV, COVID-19 |
Low Activity | Early season; RSV rising in Southern US but stable in RI. |
| West Nile Virus (WNV) | Season Ended | 2 Confirmed Human Cases (Sept & Nov). Both recovered. |
| EEE Virus | Season Ended | No human cases in 2025. (Last case: Sept 2024). |
| Avian Influenza (H5N1) | Monitoring | Detected in non-commercial flock (Jan 2025). Low public risk. |
Ongoing Crisis: Overdose Epidemic
While not a traditional infectious "outbreak," the overdose crisis remains a top public health priority. Recent data indicates a positive downward trend in fatalities.
Trend (2022-2024)
-25% Decrease
in accidental overdose deaths
2024 Total
329 Deaths
Down 18.6% from previous year
*Data Source: Governor's Overdose Task Force Report (June 2025). Disproportionate impact remains on residents aged 45-54.