A widespread outbreak of the parasite cyclospora has affected 41 states, with over 4,000 laboratory-confirmed cases and more than 7,400 additional suspected cases pending investigation, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Officials are actively working to identify the source of the infection, which causes severe diarrhea.
As of Tuesday, the CDC reported 4,173 confirmed cases. The true number of infections could exceed 11,000, given the substantial number of unconfirmed reports. At least 308 individuals have been hospitalized. Michigan and Ohio have reported a significant number of the newly identified cases, with local health departments tallying over 7,000 combined in those states alone.
Despite the growing numbers, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has stated that the outbreak is "under control." He indicated that authorities have identified a source and implemented a recall with involved companies, though he did not specify the product or companies at that time.
Earlier investigations by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) focused on lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms, a produce grower. However, the FDA announced Sunday that a sample of Taylor Farms's lettuce from central Mexico tested positive for cyclospora on July 18, but subsequent re-evaluation concluded the finding was a false positive. The FDA stated that as of July 19, 2026, "there are no confirmed positive sample results for product testing for cyclospora."
Following the FDA's initial findings, Taylor Farms had voluntarily recalled iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico on Friday. The company maintained that none of its products were associated with the outbreak. After being informed of the FDA's revised assessment, Taylor Farms stated that the FDA had made a mistake and the positive test was a false positive.
Taco Bell, a fast-food chain that received lettuce from Taylor Farms, was identified as a restaurant being investigated by the FDA and CDC. While no specific update was provided regarding Taco Bell's role, the chain recently announced it would remove lettuce from some menu items.
Social media reports indicated that some Olive Garden locations also temporarily stopped serving salads during the outbreak. A representative from one Olive Garden confirmed that pre-dinner salads were paused over the weekend and have since resumed, using lettuce chopped in-house rather than bagged lettuce. The supplier for Olive Garden's lettuce remains unclear. Currently, Taco Bell is the only restaurant explicitly named in the FDA and CDC investigation concerning this outbreak.