Cyclospora outbreak linked to lettuce expands to 9 states

Federal health officials have linked cyclospora outbreaks in four additional states to the same iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico that has sickened thousands of people in the Midwest. 

The new states are Illinois, Kansas, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania. They join Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and West Virginia as part of the country’s largest known cyclosporiasis outbreak, according to an update posted Friday. 

The latest news does mean that cases are spreading or accelerating, but indicates investigators are closing in on a common link between outbreaks. 

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said the infections are likely tied to iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms and grown in central Mexico. Though there was no positive test of produce to confirm the link, epidemiological evidence including interviews with people who got sick gave strong signals. 

“FDA’s traceback investigation and outbreak........

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