Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Jalapeños Sent To Chipotle And Other 'Mexican-Style' Restaurants Probed In Salmonella Outbreak
Health officials are investigating jalapenos served at Chipotle restaurants as a possible source of a recent salmonella outbreak, the company confirmed to ABC News on Tuesday. Chipotle told ABC News the ingredient was distributed to several food service retailers across multiple states. The company said it removed the jalapenos from select restaurants. ... The officials said that among the 84 cases interviewed so far, 75 reported eating at Chipotle between June 14 and July 14. Others reported eating "at a variety of other Mexican-style restaurants," they added. (Benadjaoud, Schulze and Yu, 8/4)
The latest on cyclosporiasis —
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expanding the largest known cyclosporiasis outbreak to 15 states, adding six states where illnesses have been traced to shredded iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico, according to three individuals familiar with the investigation. Missouri, which is reporting 1,095 cases, is one of the states being added, according to a state health department spokesperson. The number of state cases jumped dramatically in the past week. Patients who were interviewed at length by state and local investigators said they consumed Taco Bell before getting sick, spokesperson Lisa Cox said. (Sun and Roubein, 8/4)
Health officials in the U.K. are reporting a "sharp rise" in cyclosporiasis cases among travelers returning from Mexico. Between April 30 and July 15, 67 cases have been reported among some returning travelers in England, Wales and Scotland, according to data published last week from the U.K. Health Security Agency (UKHSA). Comparatively, an annual average of 93 cases has been recorded between 2022 and 2025, UKHSA data shows. (Kekatos, 8/4)
A USF expert says Americans' dependence on imported produce means the country might need to intervene to ensure it's safe. (Avlonitis, 8/5)
Also —
A new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report says the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and other relevant federal agencies could strengthen its ability to detect emerging infectious disease (EID) threats by improving collaboration across agencies, strengthening data quality and infrastructure, optimizing surveillance methods, and improving public messaging. The report comes as EIDs such as COVID-19, H5N1 avian influenza, and measles challenge public health systems. (Bergeson, 8/4)
The total economic cost of New Mexico's 2025 measles outbreak was $5.4 million, according to an analysis published yesterday in the Annals of Internal Medicine. That comes out to $53,522 per person infected with the airborne virus that causes the disease. New Mexico's outbreak, which occurred from February through September 2025, resulted in 100 confirmed cases of measles, including seven hospitalizations and one death. Of those infected, 53% were aged 18 years or older and 85% were unvaccinated. (Boden, 8/4)
Covid-19 has killed more than a million people in the United States, but in an interview with CNN’s Dana Bash on Sunday, US Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said that lockdowns were “the thing that did the most damage to our country.” (McPhillips, 8/4)