Two people have died in Michigan from cyclosporiasis, marking the first fatal cases in a widening US parasite outbreak tied to lettuce sourced from Mexico. The state's health department said Monday both individuals had significant underlying conditions worsened by the intestinal illness and dehydration.
Michigan has recorded 11,234 outbreak-linked cases and 193 hospitalisations, with Wayne County reporting the highest concentration. An FDA investigation linked the nine-state outbreak to iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms operations in central Mexico, some of which was distributed to Taco Bell. Taylor Farms recalled products across 27 states after the connection was identified.
Nationwide, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has logged 6,707 laboratory-confirmed cases as of 28 July, with more than 11,500 additional suspected cases awaiting confirmation. Diagnosis rates last month were more than 11 times the July average recorded between 2018 and 2025.