- A cyclospora outbreak, linked to shredded iceberg lettuce from mega produce supplier Taylor Farms, has sickened over 10,000 people across 15 states this summer.
- The parasite, which causes severe diarrhea , has resulted in more than 500 hospitalizations and two deaths, with the fatalities occurring in Michigan among individuals with underlying health conditions.
- Investigations revealed that the contaminated lettuce originated from central Mexico, and many patients in affected states, including Missouri, reported consuming Taco Bell products supplied with lettuce from Taylor Farms.
- Taylor Farms initiated a recall of all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico on July 17, a decision upheld by the FDA despite a subsequent test for cyclospora yielding a 'false positive' result.
- Taco Bell's parent company, Yum Brands, reported a 2 percent decline in sales for its current fiscal quarter, directly attributing the decrease to the ongoing cyclospora outbreak.
IN FULL
Largest cyclospora outbreak now expands to include 15 states with over 10,000 confirmed cases
