CDC adds six states to Cyclospora lettuce outbreak linked to Taco Bell

A Cyclospora parasite outbreak tied to iceberg lettuce grown in central Mexico and served at Taco Bell restaurants has sickened tens of thousands of people across the United States. Laboratory‑confirmed cases exceed 10,000, with nearly 23,000 suspected infections reported in 47 states and more than 500 hospital admissions. Michigan accounts for the largest share of illness, with over 12,000 cases and two deaths among patients with serious underlying conditions.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has now listed six additional states—Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire and North Carolina—bringing the total to 15 states. The nation’s largest food distributor, Sysco, has stopped purchasing the implicated Mexican iceberg lettuce and recalled its inventory.