Cyclosporiasis Cases Top 24,000 as CDC Says New Reports Slowing

Cases of cyclosporiasis have surpassed 24,000 nationwide, according to the latest data released Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, though the pace of new reports appears to be slowing.

The CDC says there are at least 13,895 laboratory-confirmed cases, including 740 hospitalizations, along with 10,455 additional cases that have not yet been confirmed in a lab. Only about 2,000 new cases were recorded over the past week, compared with more than 22,000 the week before — itself a jump of over 10,000 from the prior week.

Those sickened range in age from 1 to 98 years old, the agency said. Because there is roughly a six-week lag between when people fall ill and when cases are reported to the CDC, officials expect the total to keep climbing.

The broader case count comes amid a multistate outbreak now tied to recalled shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms, which has spread to at least 15 states. In that outbreak specifically, 6,358 illnesses and at least 278 hospitalizations have been reported.

"The true number of sick people in this multistate outbreak is likely higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses," the Food and Drug Administration said in a notice on its investigation.

Two deaths have been reported in Michigan, both involving people with significant underlying health conditions, state health officials said this week.

The outbreak was initially traced to shredded lettuce served at Taco Bell locations in nine states, but investigators later found the lettuce had also been distributed to food service companies, retail stores and other restaurants. The lettuce was sourced in central Mexico and distributed by Taylor Farms, which issued a voluntary recall last month of all iceberg lettuce sourced from that region.