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A diarrhea-inducing parasite is exploding across the country — with four new states now listed in the cyclosporiasis outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce.
Illinois, Kansas, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania have been added to a list of nine total states where patients were reported as being both infected with cyclospora and exposed to Taco Bell, the Food and Drug Administration revealed Friday. They join Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, and Kentucky.
The agency, along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is investigating the multistate outbreak “linked to iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico and recalled by Taylor Farms de Mexico,” according to the FDA.
Last week, the agency said Taylor Farms de Mexico provided shredded iceberg lettuce used by Taco Bell locations where sick people ate before becoming ill.
However, the FDA went on to report a false positive in lettuce samples from the produce giant on Sunday. The agency clarified what that meant Friday.
“On July 19, 2026, FDA provided an update about a false positive sample collected at the border. To clarify, this false-positive lab sample DOES NOT change the basis for FDA’s ongoing outbreak investigation or the overwhelming epidemiological data supporting the current voluntary recall by Taylor Farms,” the FDA wrote on its website.
“FDA’s traceback investigation and outbreak data continue to converge on shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms from growers in central Mexico. We encourage the public to continue to avoid all products listed in Taylor Farms’ voluntary recall.”
Taco Bell removed affected Taylor Farms lettuce last week, and the grower issued a hefty recall.
“When questions were raised about the source of the recent Cyclospora outbreak, we immediately removed all potentially implicated product from the marketplace, and out of an abundance of caution we issued an even broader recall of all iceberg lettuce sourced from the region,” Taylor Fresh Foods said in a statement Thursday.
“We have also voluntarily suspended all iceberg lettuce sourcing and production from central Mexico,” the company said.
The CDC has received reports of 4,173 laboratory-confirmed cases of cyclospora — a parasitic infection that causes cramps, gas, diarrhea and other GI symptoms — and over 7,400 cases still under review since May 1.
However, 1,947 people have specifically both been infected with the illness and reported exposure to Taco Bell in the nine aforementioned states.
Meanwhile, North Carolina has its own surging cyclospora outbreak — which has been linked to tainted parsley and cilantro, in addition to lettuce.
The popular herbs appear to be the first additional produce beyond iceberg lettuce that officials have acknowledged are causing the sickness both in North Carolina and the country.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services said that while it’s not clear where the contamination of the local herbs came from or their exact source yet, the Tar Heel State’s outbreak of the diarrhea-inducing parasite does not appear to be tied with the those “in other states involving Taco Bell.”
English (US)