The Cyclospora outbreak linked to bagged salad produced by Fresh Express has grown to include 509 cases, more than half of those in Iowa and Illinois, according to the latest update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Thirty-three people have been hospitalized. Since the agency’s last update, issued June 26, 303 additional cases have been reported.
The bagged salads associated with this outbreak, which contain iceberg lettuce, carrots and red cabbage, were all made by Fresh Express and sold under the Fresh Express brand name and store brand names at ALDI, Giant Eagle, Hy-Vee, Jewel-Osco and Walmart stores in 31 states and Washington, DC. Customers of these stores should check recall information carefully.
Cyclospora illnesses occur when people eat food contaminated with microscopic amounts of human feces containing the parasite. This can happen if an infected food handler does not wash hands properly after using the restroom or if water contaminated with human waste is used to irrigate or wash produce.
The hallmark symptom of a Cyclospora infection is diarrhea that is often described as explosive and watery. Often, the bouts of diarrhea are so frequent it is difficult to leave home. Other symptoms include abdominal cramps, nausea, loss of appetite, bloating, weight loss and fatigue.
The people sickened in this outbreak range in age from 11 to 92 years old. They reported onset of symptoms on dates ranging from May 11, 2020 to July 1, 2020.
More than 60 percent of the 509 illnesses included in this outbreak occurred in Illinois and Iowa. The case totals reported from all eight states affected by this outbreak are: Illinois (151), Iowa (160), Kansas (5), Minnesota (63), Missouri (46) Nebraska (48), North Dakota (6), and Wisconsin (30).
If you ate bagged salad that was recalled for Cyclospora and became ill, contact your healthcare provider and mention your exposure. Be sure to ask for the stool sample test for Cyclospora which is separate from the stool sample test for other foodborne pathogens. If your test is positive, report it to your state or local health department.
This is the second time in two years that a Cyclospora outbreak has been linked to salad made by Fresh Express. In 2018, Fresh Express salad sold at McDonald’s was the source of a Cyclospora outbreak that sickened more than 500 people. Pritzker Hageman Cyclospora lawyers represented multiple clients in that outbreak and we are in the current outbreak. If you got sick from contaminated food, we can help. For a free consultation with our experienced legal team, please call 1-888-377-8900, send a text 612-261-0856, or complete the form below. There is no obligation and we don’t get paid unless we win.