Cyclospora Outbreak Tied to Lettuce Grows to Over 6,300 Cases

National News - A nationwide outbreak of Cyclospora infections linked to recalled iceberg lettuce has grown to 6,358 confirmed illnesses across 15 states. The lettuce was sourced from central Mexico and recalled by Taylor Farms de Mexico on July 17, 2026, according to the FDA and CDC.

The agencies say the case count jumped after health officials interviewed more sick people and found some had eaten at Taco Bell or eaten the recalled lettuce. Many of these illnesses actually started before the recall date.

Six new states were added to the outbreak since the last update on July 24. Those states are Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, and North Carolina.

According to the CDC, illnesses connected to this outbreak began on June 22 and have continued through July 31. At least 278 people have been hospitalized so far.

Two deaths tied to the outbreak have been reported in Michigan. Both individuals had serious underlying health conditions that may have made the illness worse, and both got sick before the recall was announced.

The recalled lettuce was sold to food service customers between June 29 and July 16 in 28 states, including Maryland. It was also sold at select Walmart stores under the Marketside brand in 15 states, though Maryland was not one of them.

Any Taco Bell location that received the recalled lettuce is also part of the outbreak. Taco Bell has said it stopped using lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico as of July 17, 2026.

Cyclospora infection usually causes diarrhea, along with symptoms like stomach cramps, nausea, fatigue, and loss of appetite. Some people also get fevers or body aches, and symptoms can come back even after they seem to go away.

Health officials say the true number of sick people is likely higher than what has been reported.

It can take up to six weeks to confirm whether someone is part of this specific outbreak, so more cases are expected in the coming weeks.

Anyone who bought the recalled lettuce is urged to throw it away and not eat it. Anyone showing symptoms after eating iceberg lettuce in the past two weeks should contact their health care provider.