Updated
Updated · CNN · Aug 6
Cyclospora Outbreak Linked to Lettuce Spreads to 15 States, Killing 2
Updated
Updated · CNN · Aug 6

Cyclospora Outbreak Linked to Lettuce Spreads to 15 States, Killing 2

3 articles · Updated · CNN · Aug 6

Summary

  • 15 states are now tied to the lettuce-linked cyclospora outbreak after CDC lab work added six states to the same strain, bringing the outbreak total to more than 6,000 cases.
  • Nearly 300 people have been hospitalized and two have died; officials and outside experts said the update mostly confirms how wide the outbreak already was rather than signaling fresh spread.
  • CDC has activated a level 3 emergency response while investigators focus on shredded iceberg lettuce supplied to restaurants including Taco Bell and on recalled Taylor Farms de Mexico products sold in grocery stores.
  • 22,700 domestic cyclosporiasis cases have been identified this season, with 10,468 confirmed and more than 12,200 still under review, suggesting the lettuce-linked outbreak may be only part of a much larger summer surge.

Insights

How did a single Mexican farm trigger a multi-state outbreak that slipped past international food safety checkpoints?
With symptoms taking weeks to appear, could your recent fast-food meal be a hidden source of this deadly parasite?
Why did the FDA maintain a massive lettuce recall despite a false-positive lab result for the parasite?