Health Concerns Rise Over Lettuce Amid Illness Investigation
WHO:
CNN - Danae Florias, director of operations at Street Beet, a vegan restaurant in Detroit.
CNN - Hannah Hargrove, a pediatric dietitian in Detroit.
Fox News - Tammy Lundstrom, MD, senior vice president and chief medical officer of Trinity Health in Michigan.
Fox News - Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst.
Fox News - Caroline Margolis, registered dietitian nutritionist at Lifeway Foods.
Fox News - Jeff Stainthorp, owner of a small farm in Washington state.
CNN - Democratic Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut.
WHAT:
CNN - Around a quarter of guests at Street Beet have been asking for no lettuce in their orders.
CNN - Sales at Street Beet have decreased by $3,000 in the past week compared to the same period in previous years.
Fox News - Health officials are tracking a surge of cyclospora reported in 31 U.S. states.
Fox News - The CDC confirmed that 1,645 domestic Cyclospora cases have been reported since May 1, with 145 people hospitalized.
Fox News - The CDC is investigating more than 5,100 additional suspected cases of Cyclospora.
CNN - There has been a surge in cases of explosive diarrhea linked to a cyclospora outbreak across the country.
CNN - Sales at Street Beet have decreased by $3,000 in the past week compared to the same period in previous years.
Fox News - 1,645 domestic Cyclospora cases have been reported since May 1, with 145 people hospitalized.
Fox News - The CDC is investigating more than 5,100 additional suspected cases of Cyclospora.
Fox News - Taco Bell has voluntarily removed select fresh ingredients at certain locations as a precautionary measure.
WHERE:
CNN - The outbreak has particularly affected Michigan and Ohio.
Fox News - The investigation involves certain Taco Bell locations in the U.S.
CNN - Street Beet is located in Detroit, Michigan.
CNN - Portia’s Cafe is located in Columbus, Ohio.
Fox News - Jeff Stainthorp's farm is located in Washington state.
WHEN:
Fox News - The CDC confirmed the 1,645 domestic Cyclospora cases since May 1.
CNN - Portia’s Cafe reported more than 360 confirmed cases since June 1.
WHY:
CNN - Some politicians have framed the outbreak within the Trump administration’s larger dismantling of health care infrastructure, specifically the CDC's 2025 decision to make tracking cyclospora optional.
CNN - The outbreak is attributed to the cyclospora parasite, which spreads through contaminated food or water.
CNN - Some politicians have linked the outbreak to the Trump administration's changes in health care infrastructure, specifically the CDC's 2025 decision to make tracking cyclospora optional.
HOW:
Fox News - Doctors recommend washing lettuce and all salad greens thoroughly and washing hands with soap and water before and after preparing food.
CNN - Street Beet has been double washing lettuce heads and stripping the first layer of lettuce.
Fox News - Health officials recommend washing lettuce and all salad greens thoroughly and washing hands with soap and water before and after food preparation.
Fox News - Consumers are advised to skip prewashed, bagged lettuce and instead choose whole heads of lettuce, discarding the outer two to three leaves.
(UPDATED July 15, 2026 21:20 UTC)
Health officials are currently tracking a surge of cyclospora infections across 31 U.S. states, with the CDC confirming 1,645 domestic cases since May 1, resulting in 145 hospitalizations. In light of this outbreak, some politicians are linking the situation to the Trump administration's 2025 decision that made tracking cyclospora optional, which has raised concerns about health care infrastructure. Doctors are advising the public to wash lettuce and all salad greens thoroughly, as well as to wash hands with soap and water before and after preparing food.
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(UPDATED July 15, 2026 20:28 UTC)
There has been a significant surge in cases of explosive diarrhea linked to a cyclospora outbreak, with 1,645 domestic cases reported since May 1 and 145 people hospitalized. In response, the CDC is investigating over 5,100 additional suspected cases, and Taco Bell has voluntarily removed select fresh ingredients at certain locations as a precaution. Meanwhile, Street Beet, a vegan restaurant in Detroit, has seen a drop in sales by $3,000 in the past week, prompting them to double wash their lettuce and strip the first layer to ensure safety.