(NEW YORK) — Two people have died in Pennsylvania from measles, the state health department said Tuesday. Both were unvaccinated.
These the first deaths related to measles within the state in 35 years, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, and the first deaths reported this year in the U.S.
“My deepest sympathies are with the loved ones who are facing this unimaginable loss,” Dr. Debra Bogen, the state’s secretary of health, said in a statement. “Because measles was largely eliminated in the Commonwealth for more than three decades, people are not familiar with this disease and don’t fully understand the potential severity of the illness.”
In late July, the number of confirmed measles cases in the U.S. surpassed the total reported for all last year, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Last year’s total of 2,289 was the highest number of recorded measles cases in more than 30 years, CDC data shows. However, the 2,777 total marks the highest number of cases recorded since 1991.
The CDC currently recommends that people receive two doses of the MMR vaccine, the first at ages 12 to 15 months and the second between 4 and 6 years old. One dose is 93% effective and two doses are 97% effective against measles, the CDC says.
A sign for the Food And Drug Administration is seen outside of the headquarters on July 20, 2020 in White Oak, Maryland. (Photo by Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — At least 55 people have been sickened in a salmonella and E. coli outbreak linked to alfalfa sprouts in 15 states, health officials said Friday.
At least 4 people have been hospitalized.
The Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have posted an official outbreak notice on their websites.
Forty-six people were infected with E. coli, seven people were infected with salmonella and two individuals were infected with both salmonella and E. coli, officials said.
Illnesses started on dates ranging from May 31 to Aug. 8, officials said. The true number of people sick is likely higher than the numbers reported.
“The illnesses have been linked to eating alfalfa sprouts produced by Everything Sprouts, a Minnesota grower, and sold under the Calco and Everything Sprouts brands to restaurants and grocery stores,” Minnesota’s Department of Health said in a statement. “Health officials recommend people check for alfalfa sprouts from Calco or Everything Sprouts, not eat them, and throw them away.”
On Aug. 19, the FDA initiated an inspection and sample collection at Everything Sprouts, recommending the company conduct a recall. The FDA is warning consumers and retailers not to eat or serve the contaminated products.
The FDA had warned Everything Sprouts last year of “serious violations” following an inspection the agency had conducted at its facility. Inspectors determined the company had “insanitary conditions whereby [produce] may have become contaminated with filth, or whereby they may have been rendered injurious to heath.”
FDA inspectors said they had found multiple problems, including roof leaks with water dripping onto produce and clean employee smocks. There was also “build-up of black organic matter” on a hose of the overhead irrigation system for produce, inspectors said.
ABC News has reached out to Everything Sprouts for comment.
Stock photo of a doctor examining a patient’s skin. (Lordhenrivoton/STOCK PHOTO/Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — Merck and Moderna announced Wednesday that a personalized mRNA-based cancer vaccine succeeded in a large, late-stage trial among high-risk patients with melanoma.
The individualized vaccine, when paired with the existing immunotherapy, Keytruda, is the first and only combination regimen that demonstrated success in potentially extending melanoma patients’ lifespans.
In Phase 3 trials, the regimen significantly reduced the risk of cancer returning or spreading. The trial was conducted among patients whose high-risk melanoma had been surgically removed.
The combination treatment regimen pairs the personalized vaccine with Merck’s Keytruda, which had previously been used to treat the cancer alone.
The treatment showed a 49% reduction of melanoma return after patients underwent surgery and a 59% reduction of metastasization of the cancer to distant organs.
Key questions surrounding regulatory review of the vaccine remain.
The Food and Drug Administration has not yet approved the vaccine. The agency will review the full data once it has been collected and submitted.
While the FDA has already approved other cancer vaccines, this new treatment represents a step forward in the field as it uses mRNA technology and personalized treatment for each patient.
Merck and Moderna plan to present data at an upcoming international medical meeting where they hope to engage regulators on filing submissions for approval of the regimen, the companies said in a joint press release.
Dr. Ahmad Tarhini, an oncologist at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, told ABC News that he expects the treatment to be approved based on very positive trial results and made available to patients likely by early 2027.
The vaccine uses genetic information from patients’ individual tumors to identify and attack the cancer.
“It’s what we call individualized neoantigen therapy, where we take the cancer itself, we do genetic sequencing and try to define a unique mutational fingerprint of the cancer itself,” Tarhini said.
Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer, with about 112,000 new cases expected in 2026, according to the American Cancer Society.
The treatment is considered relatively safe, according to the companies. The most common side effects include fatigue, sore arm and chills.
Treatments utilizing mRNA technologies are being used in trials for other forms of cancer, including that of the bladder, kidney, lungs, stomach and pancreas, according to Tarhini.
“I think it will certainly improve the outcome of our patients,” Tarhini said. “We are, you know, excited about this development. My expectation is this will eventually change the standard care of our patients.”
(WASHINGTON) — Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren wrote a letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. seeking more information about what she called the administration’s “calamitous” response to the cyclosporiasis outbreak and expressing concern that politics could be to blame.
“I write regarding the administration’s calamitous response to the biggest outbreak of cyclosporiasis in U.S. history, and the extent to which the outbreak and botched response may be the result of incompetence and corruption. As Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), you are responsible for overseeing the federal government’s response to this outbreak. Yet, the administration’s handling of this crisis has been marred by missteps that raise serious questions about its decision-making,” Warren wrote in the letter.
ABC News has reached out to HHS for comment on the letter.
Nationwide, there are now at least 24,000 cases of confirmed or suspected cyclosporiasis across 47 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Two people have died from the parasitic gastrointestinal illness and at least 740 people have been hospitalized. Typically, there are about 3,000 cases in a given year.
The Food and Drug Administration has now traced almost 10,000 cases to recalled iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms across 17 states.
In her letter, Warren asserts that Taco Bell, where some of the tainted lettuce was traced, “provided earlier and seemingly clearer guidance to consumers than the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), CDC, and other federal food safety agencies.”
Warren also noted that Taylor Farms made donations to political organizations aligned with President Trump last year.
Federal Election Commission records show Taylor Fresh Foods, Inc., the parent company of Taylor Farms, made a $1 million donation in March 2025 to MAGA Inc., a PAC aligned with Trump.
The letter also raises concerns that the White House may have worked with Taylor Farms to delay warnings to the public about the tainted food supply. The letter points to a Wall Street Journal report that Taylor Farms lobbyists engaged with the White House to ask for more time and more proof before federal agencies implicated the company in the outbreak.
A source familiar with the situation told ABC News the FDA contacted Taylor Farms on July 14 to request a call; the company indicated it wasn’t available until July 15. The source said Taylor Farms did not meet the established 24-hour timeline from the FDA to determine whether it would take voluntary action. ABC News has reached out to Taylor Farms for comment.
Taylor Farms announced the voluntary recall of iceberg lettuce across several states on July 17. The company also said it suspended production from that distributor.
Taylor Fresh Foods, when asked by ABC News for comment on Warren’s letter, said it “acts in the interest of science and consumer health, not politics.”
“We categorically reject suggestions that we attempted to receive or received favorable regulatory treatment due to political contributions or other improper influence. Any such allegations are false,” said a spokesperson for Taylor Fresh Foods.
“Taylor Fresh Foods is a pioneer and industry leader in traceability. We fully support and endorse the Food Traceability Rule and have already implemented traceback protocols across our operations ahead of the compliance deadline,” the spokesperson added.
ABC News has also reached out to the White House for comment on the letter.
On July 21, ABC’s Elizabeth Schulze asked Kennedy about the cyclosporiasis outbreak and whether the federal government had it under control.
“We do have the outbreak under control,” Kennedy responded. “We have an extensive forensics, epidemiological forensics, and we’ve identified the source of the outbreak. We and the companies that are involved have implemented a recall.”
Cyclospora cayetanensis is a unicellular parasite that causes an intestinal infection called cyclosporiasis. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
(NEW YORK) — Cases of cyclosporiasis have topped 24,000, according to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). There are at least 13,895 laboratory-confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis, including 740 hospitalizations, the data shows.
The agency is also aware of at least 10,455 additional cases that have not yet been laboratory confirmed.
The rate of increase appears to have slowed, with only about 2,000 more cases recorded over the last week. The previous week saw more than 22,000 cases recorded, a jump of over 10,000 from the week prior.
The CDC data, which was released on Tuesday, shows the ages of those who have fallen ill range between 1 and 98 years old.
There is a six-week reporting lag between when people feel sick and case reporting to the CDC, indicating that numbers will likely continue to rise.
It comes amid an outbreak now linked to now-recalled iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms that has spread to at least 15 states.
A total of 6,358 illnesses has now been reported across those states amid the outbreak, and at least 278 hospitalizations.
“The true number of sick people in this multistate outbreak is likely higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses,” a notice from the Food and Drug Administration investigation reads.
Two deaths have been reported in Michigan in the cyclosporiasis outbreak, both individuals with significant underlying health conditions, health officials in the state said this week.
Originally, illnesses were isolated to shredded lettuce served at Taco Bell in nine states. However, health officials have found that the lettuce was also distributed to food services, retail stores and restaurants.
The lettuce was sourced in central Mexico and distributed by Taylor Farms. Last month, Taylor Farms issued a voluntary recall of all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico.
(NEW YORK) — Taylor Farms is now pulling more than a dozen products with jalapenos from grocery stores across the United States.
It’s the latest recall as part of the salmonella outbreak that has made 345 people sick in 27 states. Restaurant chains Chipotle and QDOBA pulled jalapenos last week. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said this weekend grocery stores are also removing meat products that include jalapenos.
The list of 20 recalled foods includes dips, salsas and guacamole sold at grocery stores including Walmart, Target, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and Kroger.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a list of recalled products Sunday, which includes diced jalapenos and rice and bean burritos from Hannaford, as well as spicy pimento cheese dip, spicy Jarlsberg dip and spicy roast beef sandwiches from Kroger.
Stop and Shop and Hannaford pico de gallo salsa was also recalled.
Products recalled from Target include authentic guacamole, spicy guacamole, pico de gallo, mango pico de gallo, and taco dip. Walmart’s recalled products include mild pico de gallo and hot (or spicy) pico de gallo, while fiesta style salad shrimp was recalled from Trader Joe’s.
Whole Foods’ recalled products include salsa fresca medium, mild pico de gallo, spicy pico de gallo, medium salsa roja, and mild pineapple mango salsa.
Recalled products were sold under brand names including Taylor Farms, Trader Joe’s, Private Selection and Freshness Guaranteed. Some recalled products were unbranded.
The products were distributed across 26 states including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Wisconsin and West Virginia.
They include a “best if used by” date up to and including Aug. 16, 2026.
In a statement to ABC News, Walmart said, “Safety is a top priority. When notified of recalls, we move swiftly to remove the impacted products from our stores and implement a sales block at our registers and online. We are working closely with our supplier, and customers who have this should discontinue use.”
This all underscores Taylor Farms’ broad reach within the U.S. food system. Last year, it said it made 40% of all salad kits sold in the U.S. and accounted for 265 million servings of fresh vegetables to Americans per week.
Taylor Farms, the massive food producer also linked to the record cyclosporiasis outbreak, said it received the jalapenos from Coast Citrus Distributors. The FDA had already traced that company to the salmonella outbreak across 27 states. The FDA said the jalapenos from Coast Citrus came from Sinaloa, Mexico.
“Taylor Fresh Foods is no longer sourcing products from this farmer and will be filling orders from alternative suppliers,” Taylor Farms said in a statement. “To date, Taylor Fresh Foods is not aware of any reported illnesses linked to its products containing jalapenos.”
ABC News reached out to the Department of Health and Human Services and GrubMarket, parent company of Coast Citrus Distributors, for additional comment on the recalled foods with jalapenos but did not receive a reply.
At the same time, the scope of the separate cyclosporiasis outbreak linked to Taylor Farms is expanding. An update on the FDA’s website says potentially contaminated iceberg lettuce was also distributed to Subway locations in July. Subway did not respond to an ABC News request for comment.
The Consumer Federation of America sharply criticized Taylor Farms for not being more transparent in its original recall notice about the brands and retailers potentially affected by the parasite.
(NEW YORK) — Louisiana health officials on Thursday urged residents to take precautions following an uptick in severe cases of a type of dangerous flesh-eating bacteria Vibrio vulnificus.
So far this year, the state has reported nine cases, five of them fatal. During the same period in previous years, Louisiana averaged seven cases and one death.
The Louisiana Department of Health said all nine cases reported this year were linked to wounds exposed to seawater and that all of the patients had underlying health conditions.
“Vibrio bacteria occur naturally in warm coastal waters and are found in higher numbers from May to October, when water temperatures are warmer. Infection can occur when an open wound is exposed to brackish or salt water or when a person eats raw or undercooked seafood, particularly oysters,” the Louisiana Department of Health said in a statement.
Vibrio infection can result in gastrointestinal illness, wound infection, or blood poisoning, officials said.
“Some species, including Vibrio vulnificus, can cause severe and life-threatening infections. People with severe infections may require intensive care or limb amputation,” health officials added. “About one in five people with Vibrio vulnificus infection dies, sometimes within a day or two of becoming ill.”
Authorities said that people should seek medical care “immediately if a wound exposed to brackish or salt water becomes red, swollen, painful, warm, or discolored,” and that the health care provider should be told about water exposure.
Fresh greens at the market. (Maria Korneeva/Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — Michigan health officials said on Thursday that people can resume regular lettuce- and salad greens-eating habits as new cases of cyclosporiasis slow.
It’s one of nine states in a multi-state outbreak linked to shredded iceberg lettuce served at some Taco Bell restaurants.
The iceberg lettuce was supplied by Taylor Farms and sourced from central Mexico. Taylor Farms issued a voluntary recall of all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico.
The state has seen more than 12,400 cases since June, including 279 hospitalizations and two deaths, health department data shows.
Taco Bell also said it is no longer using lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico at any of its restaurants.
The update from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) said the majority of contaminated produce is “likely” no longer available to consume.
Additionally, new cyclosporiasis cases and related emergency department visits are declining, MDHHS said. Most exposures occurred in late June or early July, the department noted.
“Since the start of this outbreak, MDHHS has remained committed to providing timely, transparent information and clear recommendations to Michigan residents,” Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, MDHHS chief medical executive, said in a press release. “As new data has emerged, our guidance has evolved to reflect the best available evidence, helping ensure that prevention recommendations are accurate, actionable and responsive to the changing situation.”
The recommendation to avoid bagged salad mixes is no longer in effect, the department said.
“Residents may resume their usual food handling practices and make choices based on their individual risk tolerance,” the release from MDHHS added.
Consumers should continue avoiding any recalled food products, health officials noted, as well as continuing to rinse fruits and vegetables and washing hands and surfaces often.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has previously said it is investigating other outbreaks and illnesses of cyclosporiasis nationally that are unrelated to the nine-state outbreak.
Since May 1, cases of cyclosporiasis have topped 22,000 in 47 states, according to data updated by the CDC on Tuesday.
There are at least 10,468 laboratory-confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis, including 423 hospitalizations, the CDC data shows. The agency is also aware of at least 12,255 additional cases that have not yet been laboratory confirmed or require further investigation and analysis.
Stock photo of a person with the measles. (Mumemories/Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — Los Angeles County health officials said a person infected with measles visited Universal Studios Hollywood last month and potentially exposed others to the virus.
The county’s Department of Public Health said Wednesday that it is investigating the case involving the visitor who was at the theme park on July 26. Other possible locations within the county are being probed, according to the health department.
Anyone who was in the park that day between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m. is asked to confirm their protection against the virus and is warned that they may be at risk of developing measles from seven to 21 days after being exposed, according to the health department.
Health officials said that people who have been vaccinated against the virus are likely to be protected, as are people who had measles previously.
“People who are unimmunized or have unknown measles immunization status are at higher risk and should monitor for symptoms closely. Anyone who remains symptom-free for more than 21 days after being exposed is no longer considered at risk,” the health department said in a statement.
A spokesperson for Universal Studios Hollywood said in a statement Friday that the park is working with the health department in their probe.
“The safety and security of our guests and team members is our highest priority,” the company said.
Measles symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes or a rash. The virus can spread through the air and can remain in the air or on infected surfaces for up to two hours after an infected person leaves an area.
Anyone who believes they have contracted measles is urged to call a doctor immediately, according to the health department.
“Measles spreads easily and can lead to serious complications, including pneumonia, brain swelling, and even death,” Dr. Muntu Davis, the Los Angeles County Health Officer, said in a statement.
Over 2,300 measles cases have been recorded this year, the highest number since 1991, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The majority of measles cases in 2026 have been confirmed among children and teenagers aged 19 and younger, according to the CDC. About one in 10 children under age 5 diagnosed with measles this year have been hospitalized.
About 93% of cases this year are among people who are unvaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown, CDC data shows.
The CDC currently recommends that people receive two doses of the MMR vaccine, the first at ages 12 to 15 months and the second between 4 and 6 years old. One dose is 93% effective, and two doses are 97% effective against measles, the CDC says.
-ABC News’ Mary Kekatos contributed to this report.
Jalapeño peppers on display at a local street market in San Antonio, Texas. (Getty Images/Gabriel Perez)
(NEW YORK) — Health officials are expanding an investigation into jalapenos served at Chipotle restaurants to include Qdoba restaurants. The Food and Drug Administration said the jalapenos may be a possible source of a growing salmonella outbreak that has infected 345 people across 27 states.
Both restaurants have removed the jalapenos from their stores, the FDA said.
Qdoba said in a statement to ABC News that it is “cooperating with public health authorities” in the investigation and have pulled jalapenos from their restaurants.
“Out of an abundance of caution, we have proactively removed jalapenos from all our restaurants at this time,” the restaurant chain said. “We take any report involving guest health seriously and are committed to responding appropriately based on the facts and guidance from public health authorities.”
“Food safety is our highest priority,” Qdoba added. “We maintain rigorous food safety standards and work closely with our suppliers, distribution partners, and restaurant teams to help ensure the safety and quality of the food we serve.”
Chipotle previously told ABC News they had removed jalapenos from affected restaurants in multiple states as well.
“We have a robust ingredient traceability system and, upon learning of a potential Salmonella outbreak in the supply chain impacting several food service retailers, we proactively identified jalapenos as a potential common ingredient from a common lot, removed them from the restaurants where they had been distributed, and replaced them with product from different growers,” Laurie Schalow, Chipotle’s chief corporate affairs and food safety officer, said in a statement.
The FDA identified through a traceback investigation that both Chipotle and Qdoba received food ingredients that were grown in Mexico and imported by Coast Citrus Distributors from Sinaloa. Coast Citrus Distributors has since agreed to recall jalapeno product from the market, per the FDA.
Salmonella are bacteria that can cause a common foodborne illness called salmonellosis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Infections tend to occur more in the summer, when warmer weather presents ideal conditions for the bacteria to grow, the agency states.
Symptoms of a salmonella infection may include watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, headache, nausea, vomiting, and a loss of appetite, according to the CDC. Symptoms can start anywhere from six hours to six days after infection and can last from four to seven days, the agency says.
According to the CDC, the highest number of reported salmonella cases are currently located in Minnesota and Colorado, with at least 110 cases in each state so far. Overall, there have been zero deaths reported but 36 have been hospitalized, the CDC said.
The Minnesota Department of Health previously told ABC News the agency expects the number of salmonella cases to potentially increase in the coming days, noting that “it takes us a while to detect cases in surveillance.”
“Our investigations often start with speaking to persons diagnosed with a foodborne illness that were reported to the health department as part of our surveillance,” the department said. “We’d like to ask the public to please answer our calls. The information they provide is critical to solving outbreaks quickly.”
The FDA said it does not consider there to be an ongoing risk from eating at Qdoba or Chipotle restaurants.
Each year, the CDC estimates the U.S. sees about 1.35 million salmonella infections.
ABC News has reached out to GrubMarket, which owns Coast Citrus Distributors for comment.
