Mayhem proceeds apace in the bathrooms of America, with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration today adding more states it its list of those affected by the Cyclospora outbreak, as noted by Consumer Reports in a revision to an earlier story.
Update July 24: The Food and Drug Administration expanded the number of states with illnesses linked to the recalled Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce to include Kansas, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and Illinois. Those states join the five previously identified by federal health officials—Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and West Virginia—as reporting illnesses linked to the iceberg lettuce from central Mexico.
The text of the FDA’s latest update (which also formally repudiated a communique posted by Taylor Farms, reportedly the origin of the explosive diarrhea-causing parasite) follows below.
Based on epidemiological information collected by CDC, a total of 1,947 people infected with Cyclospora and reporting exposure to Taco Bell have been reported by nine states. Illnesses started on dates ranging from June 22, 2026, to July 20, 2026. There have been at least 98 hospitalizations, and no deaths have been reported. This increase in cases is, in part, due to the identification and addition of four new states that are now considered part of this outbreak. We also expect to continue to see the number of confirmed cases rise, despite the recall, due to the fact that it can take as long as six weeks for CDC and state officials to determine if a sick person is part of this outbreak.
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. 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.
Here’s the formal recall notice: “Taylor Farms de Mexico of Guanajuato, Mexico is voluntarily removing all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the U.S. market, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Cyclospora.”
There have been more than 11,000 confirmed or probable cases so far reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But the true number is likely much higher, it warns.
The true number of sick people in this multistate outbreak is likely higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses. This is because some people recover without medical care and are not tested for Cyclospora. In addition, recent illnesses may not yet be reported because it can take as long as 6 weeks to determine if a sick person is part of a Cyclospora outbreak. States in this outbreak may report different illness counts on their websites as they may also include probable illnesses. CDC and FDA are only reporting laboratory confirmed cases.
Michigan, though, accounts for most of it: 7,664 cases as of July 23, with 160 hospitalizations. Cyclospora spreads through contaminated food, not person-to-person, and can be treated with antibiotics such as Bactrim. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said July 21 that the outbreak was under control.
Previously:
• ‘Ultimate Slip ‘N Slide’ pulled from Olympic lineup after explosive diarrhea outbreak
• Meet the Bonnacon: Medieval Europe’s explosive diarrhea-spraying mythical beast
• Woman hospitalized after pet dog unloads diarrhea into her mouth while she slept
