First there were five states, then nine, and now there are 15 states affected by the Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce Cyclospora outbreak, according to the CDC. And there are at least 6,358 people sick, with 278 hospitalized and two dead. The six additional states are Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, and North Carolina.
The case count by state is: Arkansas (41), Illinois (164), Indiana (370), Iowa (83), Kansas (165), Kentucky (265), Michigan (3,491), Missouri (568), Nebraska (92), New Hampshire (31), North Carolina (2), Ohio (645), Oklahoma (183), Pennsylvania (132), and West Virginia (126). Illness onset dates range from June 22, 2026 to July 17, 2026. The patient age range was not mentioned.
The outbreak includes people who reported exposure to Taco Bell or recalled Taylor Farms De Mexico iceberg lettuce. Many of the illnesses started before the lettuce was recalled on July 17, 0226. The people who died lived in Michigan. And the total number of cases includes sick people who traveled to one of these 15 states but live in other states.
It’s worth noting that as of August 6, 2026, Michigan is reporting 12,485 illnesses, Ohio has 3,206, Indiana reports 1,754, Illinois has 631 cases, and Missouri has 1,095 (although this includes people who traveled outside of the United States). Those states include confirmed and probable cases, while the CDC counts confirmed and possible cases. And when you multiply the smaller CDC number by the multiplier for this pathogen, which is 83.1, there are likely at least 528,350 people sick with cyclosporiasis in those 15 states.
It’s important that people protect themselves as much as possible from this parasite. First, do not eat any recalled Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce that was grown in central Mexico. If you choose to eat fresh produce at this time, it may be wise to avoid fruits and vegetables that have been linked to cyclospora outbreaks in the past, including raspberries, cilantro, parsley, snow peas, and lettuce. If you are in a high risk group for serious complications from foodborne illness, think about cooking all of the produce you eat, for instance, choosing mustard greens or collards for your leafy greens instead of iceberg or butter lettuce.
And learn the symptoms of cyclosporiasis, so if you do get sick, you can see your doctor. You need to ask for a special test to find this parasite. There are antibiotic treatments available.
