Six additional states—Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire and North Carolina—joined a list that already included Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
The expanded case count comes as investigators continue to examine cyclospora infections reported in at least 47 states so far this year, though not all of those illnesses have been tied to the lettuce outbreak.
Illness onset dates connected to the outbreak range from June 22 through July 31. Officials expect the numbers to keep climbing even though the tainted product has already been pulled from shelves, since confirming whether a patient belongs to this outbreak can take up to six weeks.
Investigators say the case total grew partly because it now includes people who reported eating at Taco Bell or consuming the recalled lettuce directly, many of whom fell ill before the recall was announced.
Health investigators first suspected lettuce served at Taco Bell before tracing the contamination further to Taylor Farms de Mexico. The company issued a voluntary recall on July 17 covering all iceberg lettuce grown in central Mexico.
About the Parasite
Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite that thrives in warm weather and spreads through fecal contamination, typically causing watery diarrhea along with fatigue and loss of appetite. Symptoms generally surface about a week after exposure but can appear anywhere from two days to more than two weeks later.This year's outbreak has already far exceeded the previous record of roughly 4,700 U.S. infections set in 2019. Michigan alone has logged more than 12,000 cases. Health officials continue urging anyone with symptoms to seek medical care and cooperate with investigators trying to identify additional sources of contamination.