In an announcement Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said shredded lettuce from a single supplier in Mexico was sent to Taco Bell restaurants in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia, and warned the public not to consume the green in those parts of the country.

The federal warnings to the public did not identify the Mexican supplier by name.

Two government officials who spoke to the New York Times on condition of anonymity also named Taylor Farms in California as the U.S.-based distributor of the lettuce and said it was unclear whether it was sent to other food vendors.

A federal official who was briefed on the investigation and not authorized to discuss it also told The Associated Press it was Taylor Farms of Salinas, Calif.

In a statement Thursday, the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it was “working directly with the identified supplier to determine if potentially contaminated shredded iceberg lettuce remains on the market.”

“Taco Bell has committed to stop using any lettuce from the supplier identified by FDA’s traceback investigation,” it added.

In its latest announcement, the CDC said more than 1,644 people sickened in this outbreak reported eating at Taco Bell locations in five states.

5:26 U.S. facing cyclospora outbreak causing diarrhea, nausea, and fatigue

Global News reached out to Taylor Farms and Taco Bell on Friday for comment but did not receive a response by publication time.

On Tuesday, ahead of the U.S. confirmation that the outbreak was linked to Taco Bell, the food chain issued a statement to U.S. media saying it had “voluntarily and temporarily removed limited ingredients at select restaurants as a precautionary measure.”

Federal health officials also stressed that other “brands, restaurants, retailers, or distribution channels” could be identified as the investigation continues.

Wendy’s and Chipotle said Friday that they are not affected by the outbreak, Reuters reported.

More than 30 states have reported infections this year, not all of which are related to the current outbreak. The illness is not usually life-threatening and typically clears with antibiotics.

There have been no official reports of an outbreak of cyclosporiasis in Mexico.

Cyclospora is a microscopic, spherical parasite that commonly causes watery diarrhea “with frequent and sometimes explosive bowel movements,” according to the CDC. Outbreaks tend to occur most often in the late spring and summer.

The parasite thrives in heat, infects the bowels and spreads through feces. In the past, people have been infected by consuming fruits or vegetables irrigated with feces-contaminated water.

Cyclosporiasis is less common than foodborne illnesses such as salmonella and E. coli. Many cases are never linked to a specific food or other source, and for years, few U.S. Cyclospora outbreaks were reported. But the number started rising about a decade ago, with a particularly notable spike in 2018 and 2019.

Multiple Canadian provinces have seen cases of the parasite so far this year, though there are no clear links at this time to the U.S. outbreak.

There have been 107 cases of cyclosporiasis identified in Quebec since July 11, health officials in that province informed Global News this week — with 30 cases in 2025 for the same time period — who reiterated that the Quebec cases are “not at all on the same scale as the outbreak reported in the state of Michigan.”

“As in previous years, the majority of Quebec cases would be linked to an exposure that occurred during travel, mainly to Mexico,” health officials said.

“As of today, fewer than five cases have reported travel to the United States,” a spokesperson for Quebec’s Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS) said.

In B.C., 93 cases have been reported this year, with a health official telling Global News that “cases of cyclospora are reported in B.C. every year” and “most cases are related to travel.”

The levels are being monitored “closely” given the outbreak in the U.S. but are considered “typical,” a spokesperson for the B.C. Centre for Disease Control said.

B.C. also “sees an increase in non-travel related cyclospora infections due to eating contaminated, imported raw produce” every spring and summer, the health official stated.

Alberta health officials have confirmed six cyclosporiasis cases in the province this year to Global News, with one case being reported on Wednesday, and the majority linked to travel to Mexico.

Global News confirmed that the Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan and Prince Edward Island have seen no cyclosporiasis cases this year, according to provincial government health officials.

Two cases were reported to Public Health Ontario in March, officials there said.

Manitoba health officials have also reported one case this year that is currently under investigation. Health officials in Yukon did not reply to multiple inquiries.

Nunavut health officials confirmed five lab-confirmed cases this year.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says it is not considering restrictions on fresh produce imports from the U.S.

— with files from The Associated Press and Global News’ Adriana Fallico 

Cases of cyclosporiasis — a parasite that causes watery diarrhea — are being identified across Canada but officials say they are not seeing links to the widespread outbreak in the U.S.

Cyclosporiasis is an illness of the intestines caused by a parasite called cyclospora, which is only spread through eating food or drinking water that contains the parasite.

The symptoms of cyclosporiasis include watery diarrhea, abdominal bloating and gas, and loss of appetite.

Health officials in Quebec have informed Global News that “an increase in cases of cyclosporiasis has been observed in Quebec in 2026.”

A total of 107 cases have been identified as of July 11, compared with 30 cases in 2025 for the same time period, which health officials also state “is not at all on the same scale as the outbreak reported in the state of Michigan,” where 3,762 total cases have been reported.

“As in previous years, the majority of Quebec cases would be linked to an exposure that occurred during travel, mainly to Mexico. As of today, less than five cases have reported travel to the United States,” said a spokesperson for Quebec’s Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS).

In B.C., 93 cases have been reported this year, with a health official telling Global News that “cases of cyclospora are reported in B.C. every year” and “most cases are related to travel.”

The levels are being monitored “closely” given the outbreak in the U.S. but are considered “typical,” a spokesperson for the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.

B.C. also “sees an increase in non-travel related cyclospora infections due to eating contaminated, imported raw produce” every spring and summer, the health official stated.

“We have not linked individual B.C. cases to a specific product or country of origin. Many of our cases are travel-related, but may not be necessarily connected to the current U.S. outbreak.”

Alberta health officials have confirmed six cyclosporiasis cases in the province this year to Global News, with one case being reported on Wednesday.

“Five of these cases were identified within the past six weeks, and all had illness onset dates within the period reported by the U.S. CDC (May 1 to July 9). Four of the five cases were associated with recent travel to Mexico, while none involved travel to the United States,” said Jaye Lang, press secretary for the province’s Primary and Preventative Health Services.

“We are investigating all cases through routine surveillance activities, including reviewing travel histories, food exposures and other potential links to ongoing outbreaks.

“While Alberta cases are being assessed against the cyclospora outbreak under investigation in the United States, no connections have been identified to date, and investigators have not identified a common food source or food establishment associated with the Alberta cases.”

5:26 U.S. facing cyclospora outbreak causing diarrhea, nausea, and fatigue

Global News confirmed that the Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan and Prince Edward Island have seen no cyclosporiasis cases this year, according to provincial government health officials.

Health officials in Yukon did not reply to multiple inquiries.

Nunavut health officials confirmed five lab-confirmed cases this year, stating to Global News that “there is no evidence to suggest that the case identified in Nunavut is linked to any ongoing foodborne outbreak or to imported fruits or vegetables from the United States.”

In addition, two cases were reported to Public Health Ontario in March, officials there said.

Manitoba health officials have also reported one case this year that is currently under investigation.

4:08 Healthy Living: Keeping on top of your overall gut health

As of July 13, 1,645 lab-confirmed cases were reported in the U.S. across 34 states, with 141 people hospitalized, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). They became sick “after eating food in the United States.”

More than 5,100 potential cases are currently undergoing further analysis to confirm the illness as domestically acquired cyclosporiasis.

As of July 1, the CDC reported 145 cases of cyclosporiasis being acquired across 17 states from May 1 through June 16.

The  told Global News that while no Canadian cyclosporiasis outbreaks are currently being investigated, “there is usually an increase in cyclospora infections acquired in Canada linked to consuming fresh fruit and vegetables imported from other countries during the spring and summer.”

In addition, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency says it is not considering restrictions on fresh produce imports from the U.S.

An outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease, a severe form of pneumonia, in an upscale New York City neighbourhood is slowing, authorities say, but the bacteria have made their way into the cooling systems of several well-known Manhattan landmarks.

There had been 63 confirmed cases in the city as of Wednesday, along with 13 hospitalizations, local government officials said. The outbreak is confined to the Upper East Side neighbourhoods of Carnegie Hill and Yorkville.

2:19 Health Matters: Pneumonia hospitalizations increased last year, CIHI report says

The likely source of the pneumonia-causing bacteria is a cooling tower or towers in the area, officials said.

No one has died as a result of the spread, which has affected systems at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Guggenheim and apartment buildings on Fifth Avenue, the New York Times reported.

Cooling towers are usually found on the tops of buildings and control the temperature of infrastructure like refrigeration systems and hot tubs. The city health department is testing all such towers in the area, it said. When a test comes up positive, the protocol is to drain the cooling tower.

To reduce the risk of bacteria growing, buildings should regularly clean and disinfect cooling towers, maintain adequate chlorine levels in spa pools and flush unused taps in buildings on a weekly basis, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises.

Because Legionnaires’ disease is not caused by an issue with any building’s plumbing system, officials said residents can continue drinking tap water, bathing, showering, cooking and using air conditioners, which don’t use water to cool the air.

Legionnaires’ disease is a severe type of pneumonia caused by breathing in legionella bacteria through contaminated water vapour or droplets, but is not contagious between people, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Though treatable, it is fatal in about one in 10 cases, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.

Symptoms usually develop two days to two weeks after exposure and include cough, fever, headaches, muscle aches and shortness of breath, according to the health agency.

People aged 50 or older are at an increased risk for Legionnaires’ disease, as are those who smoke or vape, have a chronic lung disease or have a weakened immune system.

New York City officials advise that anyone who currently lives or works in the affected area, or who has visited the area since late June and is experiencing flu-like symptoms such as cough, fever or difficulty breathing, to contact a health-care provider immediately.

If untreated, Legionnaires’ disease usually worsens during the first week, the World Health Organization says. Complications can include respiratory failure, shock and kidney or multi-organ failure.

The name comes from an outbreak that hit attendees of an American Legion convention in Philadelphia in 1976.

Last month, health officials in Hamilton, Ont., declared an outbreak of the illness over. In May, 22 people in the east Hamilton and Stoney Creek areas were hospitalized after a lab confirmed their infections.

Cooling towers and other sources that could have released droplets into the air outside were being investigated but have not been confirmed as the source of the outbreak.

— with files from The Associated Press