Scope of the case definition changed
- CDC expanded its confirmed-case definition based on additional interview data, so the outbreak now includes people who reported exposure either to Taco Bell or to recalled Taylor Farms de Mexico iceberg lettuce — not just Taco Bell. Many of these newly counted illnesses started before the July 17 recall.
New Case counts (Last count was 1,947 cases / 9 states on July 24)
- Total confirmed illnesses: 6,358 across 15 states
- Six states added: Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, and North Carolina
- Hospitalizations: at least 278 (up from 98)
- First deaths reported — two, both in Michigan. Both individuals had significant underlying conditions that may have been worsened by cyclosporiasis and dehydration, and both had illness onset before the July 17 recall.
- Onset dates now run from June 22 through July 31, 2026
- FDA expects counts to keep rising despite the recall, since confirming a case can take up to six weeks
Distribution details
- Cases with recalled-lettuce exposure span AR, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MI, MO, NE, NH, NC, OH, OK, PA, WV
- Foodservice distribution ran June 29–July 16 across 28 states
- Taco Bell locations receiving the recalled lettuce include at least 13 states, with more possible; Taco Bell stopped using Taylor Farms de Mexico lettuce as of July 17
- The recall also reaches outside the U.S. — firm records show recalled product was sold to consumers in Mexico
Investigation
- Traceback pointed to central Mexico, and FDA increased border screening and sampling to keep additional contaminated lettuce out of the food supply
- Status remains ongoing; true case numbers are likely higher and may extend beyond the 15 listed states
Worth noting for context: the one positive border sample reported July 18 was later re-reviewed and determined to be a false positive, so the case still rests on epidemiological and traceback data rather than product test results.
