At least 285 people are now ill in the Cyclospora outbreak predominantly affecting the Midwest, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The case count by state is now as follows:
Connecticut (1 illness), Georgia (2), Illinois (1), Iowa (138), Kansas (1), Minnesota (1), Nebraska (70), New Jersey (1), Ohio (1), Texas (66), and Wisconsin (3).
At least 18 people have been hospitalized.
While the cases in Nebraska and Iowa are known to be related, investigators have not yet connected the illnesses in other states to the same outbreak.
Authorities have not yet determined a source, though they currently suspect one of several fresh vegetables. Since all of the illnesses were contracted between mid-June and early July, investigators believe the product has expired and is no longer on store shelves.
One prominent epidemiologist has criticized the investigation for not yet identifying the source of the outbreak, saying that the farm that grew the contaminated product may harvest and deliver additional products carrying the pathogen.
