Dysentery cases are on the rise in the Portland area. In January, health officials reported 40 cases of the highly contagious bacterial infection in Multnomah County, where Portland is located — up from 17 in January 2024, according to the Multnomah County Health Department.

Dysentery rates have been rising among the Portland population since 2023, and is attributed largely to a lack of public restroom facilities.

Health officials in Oregon are battling cases of dysentery amid a years-long rise in the highly contagious, diarrhea-inducing disease. There have been 40 confirmed cases of shigellosis, an infectious disease that can cause dysentery,

The illness is mostly spread from person to person, and no specific “origin” has been pinpointed for the outbreak.