The surge in the extremely contagious bacterial illness in Portland is linked to the number of people experiencing homelessness.

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,

"Housing is related to nearly all aspects of health, including infectious diseases. Lacking housing creates a context that can increase the risk of multiple kinds of infectious disease. When you do not have housing,

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

That is more than double the number of dysentery cases seen during the same time last year. Cases of the disease have been rising steadily over the last few years: There were 158