The Very Real People Suffering in the Pandemic Sweeping the Nation
DETROIT, Michigan — July 22, 2026 — When federal health officials tally cases in the Taco Bell cyclospora outbreak, they count 1,644 confirmed victims sickened across five states with 94 hospitalized.
Nationwide, as of July 21, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control has identified over 11,000 confirmed and pending cases in 47 States, more than 300 of whom have required hospitalization.
Two of those hospitalized, Ella-Salone Jones and Tamyra Stewart — one outside Detroit and one in Cleveland — are strangers to each other, linked only by contaminated lettuce grown in Mexico by a company they have never heard of called Taylor Farms — the company that has now issued a recall of all its iceberg lettuce in 27 states. In the case of Ella-Salone and Tamyra, the lettuce was eaten in food purchased from Taco Bell, as with many victims in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, and West Virginia.
Both have been hospitalized for over a week, and both remain in guarded condition.
Ella-Salone Jones — Southfield, Michigan
Ella-Salone Jones, 55, was a regular customer at her local Taco Bell in Southfield, Michigan. In late June and early July, she purchased her usual order of Beef Tacos with shredded lettuce at least three times.
By July 6th, she had become very ill, and by July 11th she was rushed to Corewell Health Hospital, where she was admitted for intensive and focused care.
Poked, prodded, and filled with tests, needles, pills, and IVs, her doctors finally figured out what was causing her symptoms when she tested positive for cyclospora. They immediately placed her in isolation for treatment of the parasite and for the acute kidney injury it had caused.
She has remained there ever since.
Tamyra Stewart — Cleveland, Ohio
Tamyra Stewart, 43, had eaten at her local Taco Bell in Parma Heights on July 6th. Her meal included a hardshell Taco Supreme containing shredded lettuce.
Two days later, on July 8th, her symptoms started: diarrhea, watery stools, chills, fever, vomiting, body pain, and bloating. They did not let up.
On July 12th, after she could bear the pain no more, she was rushed to the Cleveland Clinic’s Lakewood emergency department. Upon arrival, doctors decided that she was too sick for the ER and needed to be moved by ambulance to Cleveland Clinic Lutheran Hospital.
Upon arrival, she tested positive for cyclospora. Due to the severity of her infection and complications therefrom, surgeons were forced to remove her gallbladder on July 14th.
On July 19th the hospital tried to discharge her, but she was immediately admitted again due to symptoms of a potential stroke brought on by her illness. Tamyra has remained there ever since.
What Connects Ella-Salone and Tamyra?
Their cyclospora illnesses have cost both women more than just enormous medical bills from their hospital stays. Both have endured significant suffering from the cyclospora parasite and fearing the worst. Both have suffered interruptions to their life and the lives of their families, with loved ones staying bedside. And for Tamyra, she lost a significant amount of money because she lost her new job at United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Cleveland after failing to show up for orientation.
Both remain in guarded condition under the care of medical professionals at their respective hospitals.
Both Women Have Hired National Food Safety Attorney Ron Simon
Ella-Salone and Tamyra have both hired nationally renowned food safety attorney Ron Simon and America’s food safety law firm, Ron Simon & Associates. Mr. Simon and his law firm have established the Taco Bell Cyclospora Claim Center to assist victims in the outbreak. The Claim Center can be reached toll-free at 1-888-335-4901 or by visiting the firm’s website at https://www.ronsimonassociates.com/.
Five States at the Center of the Taco Bell / Taylor Farms Cyclospora Outbreak
Federal and state health investigators have now traced the cyclospora outbreak to a single ingredient — shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell locations in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and West Virginia. The lettuce was grown in Mexico and imported to the United States by Taylor Farms, a Salinas, California based produce grower.
As a result, Taco Bell has removed all shredded lettuce from all stores in the five states. Taylor Farms has said it would begin a recall of the shredded lettuce. The company issued a statement saying it was “deeply concerned for those who became ill, their families, and the many Americans whose trust in the safety of their fresh produce has been shaken.”
About Cyclospora
Cyclospora is not an ordinary foodborne bug. It is a microscopic parasite that standard stool tests routinely miss unless a doctor specifically orders testing for it, which can delay diagnosis for weeks. Untreated, it can last a month or longer and tends to relapse — better, then worse, then better again. It is treatable with antibiotics, but for people like Jones and Stewart, the treatment came only after the illness had already put them in a hospital bed.
About Food Safety Attorney Ron Simon
| Over the last 33 years, Ron Simon and his colleagues have prosecuted thousands of food poisoning cases for victims across the United States. His work has resulted in numerous upgrades to food safety procedures in Fortune 500 companies and in legislation designed to protect consumers from dangerous food-borne pathogens. Mr. Simon and his clients have been featured on NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN, FOX and virtually all other major television networks and print media. Mr. Simon and his legal team have collected over $850,000,000 for their clients. Mr. Simon currently represents hundreds of confirmed victims and continues to accept clients in this massive outbreak. He can be reached at 1-888-335-4901 and [email protected]. |
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Taco Bell Cyclospora Claim Center • 1-888-335-4901 • www.ronsimonassociates.com
