Taco Bell is offering steep discounts on some of its most popular menu items this week as the fast-food chain works to rebuild customer confidence following a nationwide cyclospora outbreak linked to shredded lettuce served at its restaurants.

The company began offering $1 lettuce-free Enchiritos on Wednesday, along with $1 app-exclusive Nacho Fries, in a bid to draw customers back after weeks of declining foot traffic. "For the ones who have been with us, $1 Enchiritos just dropped, more to come," Taco Bell said in a post on Instagram announcing the promotion.

The scale of the outbreak

Taco Bell has been linked by health officials to more than 1,644 confirmed infections across Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identifying the chain's shredded iceberg lettuce as the likely source. The outbreak, caused by the parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis, has been described as one of the largest foodborne illness outbreaks in the United States in recent years.

Cyclospora infections typically cause watery diarrhea, along with symptoms that can include loss of appetite, weight loss, cramping, bloating, increased gas, nausea and fatigue, according to health officials. Symptoms generally emerge about a week after exposure and can persist for weeks if untreated.

A swift response from the company

Earlier this month, Taco Bell announced it had removed the implicated lettuce from every restaurant nationwide. "As of July 17, Taco Bell has........

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