Shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms and sold at select Taco Bell restaurants has been identified as a potential source of a growing multistate outbreak of cyclosporiasis, according to multiple people familiar with the investigation, as case counts continue to climb across the country.

The link was first reported by The Washington Post on July 16, citing two people familiar with the ongoing investigation. CNN separately confirmed the connection through a source familiar with the matter. Neither the Food and Drug Administration nor the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has publicly confirmed Taylor Farms or Taco Bell as the source, and officials have continued to describe the link as a potential one rather than a confirmed cause.

The outbreak, caused by a microscopic parasite that leads to cyclosporiasis, has expanded rapidly since it began in May. According to CDC data published Tuesday, nearly 7,000 cases have been confirmed or are under investigation nationwide since May 1, with confirmed cases running more than six times higher than they were at the same point last year. At least 141 hospitalizations have been reported, though no deaths have been linked to the outbreak. Separate reporting has cited slightly different case tallies, with one count putting confirmed cases at 1,645 and more than 5,100 additional cases still under investigation, underscoring how quickly the numbers have been shifting as health officials continue gathering data.

While cases have been reported across........

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