CHICAGO, August 5, 2026 —The fast-growing cyclosporiasis outbreak that’s been linked to iceberg lettuce has now spread to 15 states.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Tuesday added six additional states to the list of those impacted by the outbreak, according to media reports citing those close to the investigation. (As of Wednesday, the CDC website listed nine states as part of its food safety alert.)
Newly added states are Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire and North Carolina, according to reports. Last month, the CDC reported cyclosporiasis cases in Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
Officials have traced the infected lettuce, which can cause significant intestinal problems, to Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce from Mexico.
Earlier this week, Michigan health officials reported the first two deaths linked to cyclospora infection associated with this outbreak. Both victims, however, had “significant underlying health conditions,” according to an update on the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services website.
Michigan alone has so far reported 12,218 cyclosporiasis cases associated with the outbreak, with 193 reported cases requiring hospitalization.
“Cyclosporiasis is generally not a life-threatening illness,” the agency noted. “Death resulting from cyclosporiasis is uncommon in the United States.”
There is a disconnect, though, between state and federal reporting on the outbreak. The CDC lists 10,468 laboratory-confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis on its website but says it is aware of more than 12,255 additional, unconfirmed cases, many of them in Michigan.
And now Chipotle Mexican Grill is contending with a new food safety concern.
The fast-casual burrito chain on Tuesday said it had removed jalapenos suspected to be a source of salmonella from its Minnesota locations, replacing them with alternate product from different growers.
“We are aware that public health authorities are investigating the source of a Salmonella outbreak in the supply chain impacting several food service retailers in Minnesota,” Chipotle said in a statement. “The Minnesota Department of Health has confirmed it has no ongoing concerns with Chipotle. We are cooperating with public health authorities in their efforts. As part of our established health and safety protocols, upon learning of a potential outbreak, we immediately initiated our ingredient traceability system and were able to identify jalapeños as a potential common ingredient from a common lot, and the restaurants where it was distributed.”
Chipotle stock had rebounded slightly on Wednesday after falling nearly 10% on the salmonella news.
The news may have spooked investors who recall Chipotle’s long history with foodborne illness issues. Starting in 2015, Chipotle had multiple e. coli cases linked to its food, which prompted it to temporarily close restaurants, issue public apologies and invest millions of dollars in its food safety program.