Taco Bell lettuce at centre of growing US diarrhoea outbreak | US News

The US government is advising people in five states to avoid eating shredded iceberg lettuce from Taco Bell restaurants due to a diarrhoea outbreak that has infected more than 1,600 people.

The infection is called cyclosporiasis, which often spreads from contaminated food and water. As well as diarrhoea, it also causes nausea and other gastrointestinal symptoms.

The Federal Drug Administration said 1,644 people were confirmed to be infected after being exposed to Taco Bell in Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia. Some 94 people have been taken to hospital.

The number of Americans reported to have fallen sick is far higher, standing at almost 7,000 nationwide, according to Sky News’ US partner network NBC News.

Taco Bell said it’s removed lettuce from one of its suppliers in the impacted states.

“Based on ongoing conversations ​with public health officials, and out of an abundance of caution, Taco Bell has taken immediate action to voluntarily remove potentially impacted ​lettuce from a supplier in select states,” it said.

“The affected ingredient from our supplier is being indefinitely removed from our supply chain ​nationwide and will be replaced within 24 hours in select states.”

Taco Bell’s statement did not name the supplier.

It comes several weeks after the outbreak was first reported on 1 May. Michigan has borne the brunt of it so far, with more than 4,000 suspected cases reported.