The United States said it had launched fresh strikes against Iran on Wednesday evening as President Donald Trump warned Tehran it “better behave”.
The US military said “Iranian military capabilities used to threaten vessels” moving through the Strait of Hormuz had been targeted, and that it had separately fired on a ship attempting to violate its renewed blockade of Iran’s ports.
It came after Iran claimed it had struck US military targets in the region, including in Bahrain and Kuwait, as a fifth day of renewed hostilities strained their preliminary deal to end the war.
Iran’s top negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, meanwhile told state media Tehran had “no reason” to abide by the deal if it did benefit from it.
Trump had threatened late on Tuesday to attack bridges and power plants should Iran not return to talks next week.
Asked by reporters late on Wednesday whether he would give a deadline before doing so, he responded: “I don’t like giving deadlines, but they pretty much know, they know the story… they better behave.”
He later told delegates at a defence summit that Iran was “not happy right now”.
“They want to settle so badly. They don’t like what we’re doing,” he said. “We’ll find out whether we want to settle with them or if we just finish it off.”
Ghalibaf however said Iran’s national security depended on Tehran maintaining “Iranian arrangements” in the strait.
He added that negotiation – along with war – was part of Iran’s strategy of resistance as it engaged an “existential” conflict with the US.
Once again, the Argentines came from behind, this time against England, to win 2-1 in the World Cup semifinal and keep the dream of repeating as champions alive. Argentina was held off the scoresheet for 85 minutes, and finally broke through when Lionel Messi set up Enzo Fernandez just outside of the penalty box, and the 25-year-old hooked a shot around England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford into the back of the net to knot it at 1-1.
Lautaro Martinez then played the hero as he came off the bench and into Argentine soccer lore by scoring the winning goal in stoppage. In the 92nd minute, Messi recorded his second assist after he gathered a loose ball and played a beautiful pass into the penalty area, where Martinez was waiting unmarked. Martinez headed the ball past Pickford to send the Argentine fans into a frenzy as they completed the comeback.
Lautaro Martinez of Argentina scores his team’s second goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Semi Final match between England and Argentina at Atlanta Stadium on July 15, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia.(Alex Livesey/Danehouse/Getty Images)
England tried to tie it with the remaining stoppage time, but they were unable to muster up a quality chance.
The first half was largely uneventful, as it was the first game since 1966 in which neither team recorded a shot in the first half, according to the FOX broadcast.
Anthony Gordon got the scoring started when he buried a cross from Morgan Rogers to put England on the board first in the 55th minute with an acrobatic finish. Harry Kane sparked the counter with a long pass that left the Argentina defense flummoxed for the first time all game.
However, that would end up being the lone true scoring opportunity of the game for the Three Lions. After England got on the board, Argentina’s pressure was relentless, but England was able to stave off the Argentine attack for about 30 minutes.
Argentina’s Enzo Fernandez scores past England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford during the World Cup semifinal in Atlanta on Wednesday, July 15, 2026.(Stephanie Scarbrough/AP)
England defender Djed Spence made a fantastic tackle in the 58th minute to help keep Argentina off the board after a breakaway from Giuliano Simeone.
Argentina goalie Emilio Martinez came up big in the 66th minute by making his first save of the game on Declan Rice to keep the score 1-0 and avoid putting Argentina in a multi-goal hole. After the save, Argentina quickly countered and went back on the attack.
Pickford, England’s all-time leader in games played at the World Cup, made a remarkable save on the goal line with a header from Nicolás González just before the hydration break to preserve England’s 1-0 lead.
Alexis Mac Allister kept the pressure on for Argentina when his header in the 76th minute rang off the post. Pickford made his fourth save of the game when he clipped Fernandez’s shot in the 86th minute, but the Argentine broke through later in the minute.
Argentina’s Enzo Fernandez reacts after Argentina’s win over England in the World Cup semifinal in Atlanta on Wednesday, July 15, 2026.(Jacob Kupferman/AP)
Off a corner kick, Messi set up Fernandez just outside of the box, and the 25-year-old hooked a shot around Pickford into the back of the net.
Iran’s top negotiator, Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf, has declared that the country’s armed forces have “complete freedom of action” against the “enemy’s aggression”, after a day of attacks by the United States killed seven Iranian troops.
The attacks on Wednesday were the latest in days of escalating hostilities between Washington and Tehran that appear to have doomed an interim peace deal they agreed to on June 17.
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The US announced several rounds of air strikes on Iran overnight on Tuesday and again on Wednesday, saying its forces hit military targets in Iranian coastal areas near the Strait of Hormuz and on the Greater Tunb island.
Iran’s army said one attack struck a barracks in Bampour in the country’s southeast, killing seven personnel from the 388th Brigade and injuring several others. It pledged to deliver “a decisive response… at the appropriate time”.
Iranian media also reported that an overnight US attack hit a wheat storage facility in the western Khuzestan province, which the US military denied.
The US announced its latest wave of strikes on Wednesday had begun at 10:30pm Iranian time (19:00 GMT), as Iranian media reported explosions in or near Bandar Abbas, Chabahar and Ahvaz.
Earlier, the US military also said it had redirected two commercial vessels as part of a renewed blockade on Iranian ports, which it began enforcing the night before.
Return to negotiations ‘extremely difficult’
Tehran said the repeated waves of US attacks had voided the memorandum of understanding with Washington that had underpinned the fragile ceasefire. Ghalibaf said Iran was “in an essential and existential war with America” and had no reason to continue adhering to the terms of the peace agreement.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Iran had abandoned its commitments under the memorandum because the US had reneged on its side of the deal.
“Our commitments remain in effect only as long as the other side fulfils its pledges,” Baghaei said.
He said Tehran had no plans to engage in further talks with Washington and was focused solely on defending the country.
Reporting from Tehran, Al Jazeera’s Resul Serdar said the latest escalation made a return to negotiations “extremely difficult”.
“There’s now a low-intensity war, new sanctions are back on Iran, and there’s a US blockade again,” Serdar said.
However, he said, “if the Americans commit to the articles of the memorandum of understanding, then the Iranians say they’re open to engaging diplomatically”.
Iran renews attacks on Gulf neighbours
On Wednesday morning, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it targeted the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain as part of a “crushing response”. It said it also targeted a major US military logistics hub in Mina Abdullah, Kuwait.
Kuwait’s Ministry of Defence said later on Wednesday that it had downed at least four cruise missiles and 21 drones from Iran throughout the day.
Jordan’s military said it had downed three missiles from Iran.
Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Jasem AlBudaiwi condemned the latest “treacherous” Iranian attacks on Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan, saying they “reveal Iran’s determination to drag the region into further chaos and instability”.
Zeidon Alkinani, founding director of the Arab Perspectives Institute, said that Iran’s continuing attacks on its neighbours had tested the patience of Gulf states, who oppose the US-Israel war on Iran and have staunchly advocated for diplomacy.
“The patience within the Gulf and the view of Iran may fall apart very soon,” Alkinani told Al Jazeera.
Trump says Iran ‘better behave’
US President Donald Trump warned on Tuesday that US attacks against Iran would intensify if the country’s leaders did not return to negotiations, even threatening to “knock out” Iran’s power plants and bridges.
But Trump declined to give Iran a firm deadline when asked on Wednesday, saying: “I don’t like giving deadlines, but they pretty much know; they know the story… they better behave.”
Ghalibaf said Iran was still balancing diplomacy with military action in pursuit of its national interest.
While Iran has “never welcomed war… we must always be prepared for battle and stand firm to protect our national security and interests”, Ghalibaf said.
“We must also use the tools of diplomacy and negotiation to achieve and solidify our national interests.”
Fit-again wing Robert Baloucoune returns to the Ireland line-up for Saturday’s much-anticipated Nations Championship game against New Zealand in Auckland.
Baloucoune, who won the Six Nations Rising Player award after starring in Ireland’s Triple Crown campaign earlier this year, missed the wins over Australia and Japan with a hamstring issue.
Head coach Andy Farrell recalls a host of key players after fielding a heavily rotated in last week’s 36-20 victory over Japan, with the return of captain Dan Sheehan, prop Tadhg Furlong and fly-half Sam Prendergast among nine changes.
Tom O’Toole, Tadhg Beirne, James Ryan, Jack Conan, Stuart McCloskey and Jimmy O’Brien are the six players retained in the line-up.
Having beaten the Wallabies and Brave Blossoms, Ireland aim to round out the southern hemisphere leg of their Nations Championship campaign with a statement win at Eden Park (08:10 BST).
The All Blacks, who beat France and Italy in their first two games, have not lost at the Auckland venue since 1994, a run of 52 Tests.
IShowSpeed, a 21-year-old influencer from Cincinnati, Ohio, will take the stage ahead of the final match Sunday at the New York New Jersey Stadium alongside Scherzinger, Malone, Robbie Williams and Italian singer Laura Pausini. Jennifer Hudson will perform the U.S. national anthem, while Cruise is slated to make a special appearance.
But while the other headliners are known performers with experience in the entertainment industry, Speed is mostly famous for his online presence and viral videos.
The contrast raises some questions about the internet personality’s background, as well as his plans for the massive show, which is estimated to bring in 1.5 billion viewers globally.
Read on for answers to your questions about IShowSpeed.
IShowSpeed is slated to perform at Sunday’s World Cup closing ceremony (Getty Images)
Who is IShowSpeed?
Born Darren Watkins Jr., Speed is an online streamer known for his high-energy personality, viral stunts and gaming content. If you don’t recognize him from reaction memes or clips on TikTok, you might know him from his music career, his frequent celebrity collaborations or his WWE Wrestlemania debut earlier this year.
Before the brand deals and fame, Speed got his start as a hyper preteen in the midwest. He was given the nickname Speed because he was fast, he told Dazed magazine in June 2024. He decided to use it as his gamertag at the age of 12.
He registered the YouTube channel IShowSpeed in 2016 and only occasionally posted gaming content. He began livestreaming regularly at the age of 15, often broadcasting games like NBA 2K and Fortnite.
It wasn’t until 2021 that Speed began to grow a following after clips of his outbursts — often aggressive and chaotic — during livestreams went viral as memes on TikTok.
At the time of writing, Speed has more than 57 million subscribers on YouTube, 53 million followers on TikTok, 52 million followers on Instagram and 5 million followers on Twitch. He won the 2022 Streamy Award for Breakout Streamer and the 2023 Streamy for Variety Streamer.
His massive platform has sparked various side quests for Speed, including livestream tours on five continents last year, wrestling in WWE events and meeting his idol Cristiano Ronaldo.
He has also released several songs in his budding music career, including two songs dedicated to the World Cup: the 2022 single “World Cup” and 2026 hit “World Cup (Champions).” The latter has a music video that garnered more than 90 million views within just one month of its release.
What will IShowSpeed do during the closing ceremony?
IShowSpeed said in a livestream Tuesday that Fifa called him up and asked him to perform “World Cup (Champions)” at the closing ceremony.
“They told me they heard the song and wanted me to perform at the World Cup final,” he said during the stream, adding, “At first I thought it was a prank call.”
He told his viewers, “I think out of everything I’ve done, I think me performing at the World Cup final is probably one of my most craziest achievements.”
After the song was released June 1, Speed publicly tagged Fifa on social media and asked them to consider making the song the Cup’s official anthem, to which the organization responded, “We will be in touch.”
The reply went viral and two days later, the song was added to the World Cup’s official track list for the Fifa World Cup 2026 Official Album.
Details about Speed’s performance of his song, which begins by calling out all 48 teams that played in this year’s tournament, remain a mystery — though fans can be almost certain that the streamer will land one of his signature moves by doing a backflip.
How has IShowSpeed already been involved in the World Cup?
Speed, a known soccer fan, started a series of livestreams from various locations at the 2026 Fifa World Cup in June. He also partnered with Fifa, Fox Sports and YouTube to host live broadcasts of certain games for viewers in the U.S.
While Speed was livestreaming the July 3 match between Argentina and Cape Verde, an Argentina fan was caught on camera making a racist comment toward the streamer, which prompted an investigation by Fifa.
“Fifa strongly condemns racism, hate and discrimination in all forms. These actions have no place in football, at the FIFA World Cup, or anywhere in society,” FIFA said in a statement July 7. “Fifa was made aware of an incident involving a supporter and IShowSpeed at Miami Stadium during the Argentina vs Cabo Verde match on 3 July 2026 and immediately initiated an investigation.
IShowSpeed, real name Darren Watkins Jr., is a big soccer fan who has livestreamed multiple World Cup matches (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
“The Fifa World Cup is a celebration of unity, diversity and respect. It brings together people, cultures and communities from around the world, and anyone who acts in a manner that undermines these values is not welcome in our game.”
Speed has not commented on the investigation.
How do I watch IShowSpeed’s performance?
Speed will perform at the closing ceremony, which starts at 1:30 p.m. local time at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Fifa encouraged ticketholders to arrive early, promising that fans “will have an active role to play in the show.”
Sunday’s final will also bring the tournament’s first halftime show, which will feature Madonna, Shakira, Justin Bieber and BTS.
SpaceX, Elon Musk’s rocket and artificial intelligence company, dropped below its initial public offering price of $135 on Wednesday before closing the day slightly above it, raising questions for other tech companies aiming to test the public markets.
SpaceX shares fell more than 2.5 percent in intraday trading to below the $135 price when the company went public last month, before ending the trading day at $135.27. Its I.P.O., which was the largest ever, raised $85.7 billion and suggested that investors were hungry not only for SpaceX but also for potentially large public market debuts by the A.I. companies Anthropic and OpenAI.
Yet SpaceX’s bumpy ride may have Wall Street thinking otherwise. The company’s market capitalization briefly surpassed Amazon’s and Microsoft’s last month, nearing $3 trillion after its shares reached $225.64. It is now valued at around $1.782 trillion after days of declines.
Already, OpenAI has been leaning toward holding off its public offering until next year. Sam Altman, the chief executive, pushed the company’s investment bankers and others to find a way for the start-up to be valued at $1 trillion when it goes public, up from its last private valuation of $730 billion.
SpaceX’s fluctuations were not unexpected given the exuberance among institutional and retail investors during the public offering and the relatively low number of shares available to trade. Fewer than 5 percent of the company’s outstanding shares are able to be bought and sold, and the heavy demand in the days after the I.P.O. contributed to the spike in price.
Drew Cupps, a portfolio manager at Polen Capital, which invested in SpaceX after its public offering, attributed the stock’s drop to a “reversal in investor optimism around data center spending.”
“There is nothing positive about a breach of an I.P.O. price, though it’s not a death knell either,” he said. He recounted how Facebook, now called Meta, fell below its I.P.O. price after its 2012 public offering and stayed below that threshold for about a year before soaring.
In the coming months, more SpaceX stock will become available to trade as lockup agreements — which prevent shareholders from getting rid of shares immediately after an I.P.O. — expire, allowing employees and early investors to sell their shares. More sellers and an increased supply of shares could weaken the stock price.
In an expected move, SpaceX gained expedited entry to the Nasdaq-100 index last week, essentially forcing index funds to buy up the stock. Its share price, however, did not experience a boost.
SpaceX’s falling share price follows a broader pullback in the stock market, as investors question the durability of huge bets made by A.I. companies. Shares of a group of behemoth tech stocks called the Magnificent Seven — Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia and Tesla — fell roughly 9 percent in June.
Other recently public companies have also suffered. Cerebras, an Silicon Valley A.I. chip maker, has been trading below its I.P.O. price of $185 a share after raising $5.55 billion in May. Shares of SK Hynix, a memory chip maker in South Korea, have vacillated since raising $26.5 billion in a U.S. listing last week but are still trading above the I.P.O. price of $149.
In recent I.P.O.s, share prices rose 32 percent, on average, after the first day of trading but were down 26 percent after 12 months, J.P. Morgan analysts said in a report.
SpaceX’s stock performance after its public offering turned Mr. Musk into the world’s first trillionaire. With the decline in the rocket maker’s stock, he has lost that 13-figure net worth and is now worth around $850 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
After its I.P.O., SpaceX used its ballooning stock price to close a $60 billion, all-stock deal for Cursor, a start-up that develops A.I. tools to write computer code. Speculation that Mr. Musk could also use SpaceX to acquire his electric carmaker, Tesla, which has a market valuation of $1.481 trillion, has also grown.
Officials say a suicide bomber and a group of militants have attacked a police station and a security convoy hour apart in restive northwest Pakistan, killing at least three police officers and wounding 20 others
PESHAWAR, Pakistan — Militants ambushed a security convoy and hours later a suicide bomber struck a police station in twin attacks in northwest Pakistan Wednesday that officials said left least three police officers dead and 20 wounded, in the latest sign that violence is escalating in the region bordering Afghanistan.
The first attack occurred in the district of Upper Dir in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where militants ambushed a security convoy, killing three police officers and wounding 15 others, local police official Ibrahim Khan said.
He said security forces returned fire and the exchange was ongoing.
Khan did not immediately say whether any militants had been killed or wounded.
Hours later, a suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into a police station in the city of Bannu, also in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, wounding at least five police officers, police said. The blast damaged part of the station, but no fatalities were immediately reported.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for either attack, but suspicion is likely to fall on the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP.
The TTP is separate from but closely allied with Afghanistan’s Taliban. Pakistan has accused the group of operating from sanctuaries inside Afghanistan, a charge both the TTP and the Taliban-led government in Kabul deny.
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador — A three-month mass trial of hundreds of alleged gang members of MS-13 wrapped up on Wednesday in El Salvador, with prosecutors delivering their closing arguments and asking for maximum sentences.
The proceedings against 485 members of the international criminal Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, gang on charges that include homicide, extortion, drugs, arms and human trafficking, have drawn criticism by human rights groups, which say they infringe on defendants’ rights under the Latin American country’s state of emergency.
The state of emergency, enacted in March 2022, suspended some constitutional rights and tens of thousands of Salvadorans have been detained since then.
According to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the gang members are on trial for involvement in a total of 14,420 crimes — including 444 killings — committed between 2012 and 2022. The prosecution has asked for maximum sentence for each crime, which could amount to life in prison for some and $9 million in civil damages in all.
The prosecution argued that MS-13, which has been designated a foreign terrorist organization by the United States, used about 1,200 children in its criminal activities, exploited 638 women, and formed 32 groups, two of which operated from outside El Salvador.
During the hearings, the prosecutors played audio recordings of calls attributed to gang leaders in which they allegedly order killings and other crimes.
El Salvador has made this form of collective trials possible under a July 2023 reform of its criminal code, which allows for those detained under the state of emergency to be grouped according to their gangs or territories.
Officials say that since the state of emergency was imposed, more than 92,480 people accused of belonging to gangs or having ties to them have been imprisoned.
Bukele has said that 8,000 innocent people have been released. Human rights organizations, meanwhile, say they have registered more than 6,000 complaints of human rights violations and arbitrary detentions, and documented the deaths of at least 547 people in custody.
Despite the criticism, the state of emergency remains popular in El Salvador, where many residents have grown tired of the years of violence and praise Bukele for his approach to improving security.
This is the country’s second mass trial of gang members. Last November, 45 members of the Barrio 18 gang were convicted of various crimes, including extortion and homicide. One of that gang’s leaders was sentenced to 397 years in prison.
Among the MS-13 leaders on trial now are Dionisio Arístides Umanzor Osorio, know by his alias “El Sirra de Teclas,” as well as Borromeo Henríquez Solórzano, aka “Diablito de Hollywood,” Carlos Tiberio Ramírez Valladares or “Snayder,” and César Antonio López Larios, aka “Greñas.”
President Donald Trump said he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to reach an agreement to end the war in Ukraine, even as Moscow warned Wednesday that Western troops deployed to enforce any eventual peace deal would become Russian military targets.
“I say, ‘Vladimir, it’s time for you to stop. It’s time for this war to end,’” Trump told Fox News chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst in an interview released Tuesday.
Trump said he believed Putin was “ready to make a deal” to end the fighting.
The intensifying drone war has forced both militaries to search for additional ways to intercept unmanned aircraft, sometimes using weapons designed decades before modern drones emerged.
A video supplied by East2West shows a Russian soldier apparently losing control of a Soviet-era YakB-12.7 rotary machine gun mounted on an improvised ground platform.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Donald Trump meet in 2019, before their relationship began to sour.(Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)
The weapon begins spinning violently, dragging the service member around before throwing him several yards from the mounting. Another soldier ducks as the gun swings in his direction.
East2West reported that no one was injured, though Fox News Digital has not independently verified the location, date or circumstances of the footage.
The four-barrel machine gun was originally developed for use aboard the Soviet-designed Mi-24 Hind attack helicopter. Russian forces have reportedly attempted to repurpose such weapons as ground-based defenses against Ukrainian drones, East2West news reported.
An explosion lights up the sky over the city during a Russian missile and drone strike amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine in Kyiv July 2, 2026.(Gleb Garanich/Reuters)
On Wednesday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said any multinational force deployed by Ukraine’s allies after a ceasefire would be unacceptable to Moscow.
“We would regard such units as legitimate military targets,” Zakharova said, according to a Reuters report published Wednesday.
Members of the Western “coalition of the willing” reaffirmed at a meeting in Paris this week that they intend to deploy a multinational force after hostilities end. The proposed force would seek to reassure Ukraine and help Kyiv rebuild its military.
Ukraine’s military said Wednesday that its forces struck the Balaklava thermal power station in Russian-occupied Crimea, a facility that accounts for nearly half of the peninsula’s electricity generation, according to Reuters.
Russia, meanwhile, launched another major drone and missile attack against Ukraine’s southern Odesa region, killing three people, regional Governor Oleh Kiper said. He said civilian, industrial and port infrastructure had been targeted during five consecutive days of Russian attacks.
Emergency services personnel work to extinguish a vehicle fire after a Russian drone attack in the Kyiv region, Ukraine, May 5, 2026.(Ukrainian Emergency Service/AP)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also said Wednesday that Ukraine expects to develop the technical capability to manufacture missiles for U.S.-made Patriot air-defense systems by the end of 2026.
Reuters contributed to this story.
Efrat (Effie) Lachter is an investigative journalist, filmmaker and war correspondent. She has directed and produced over 200 documentary segments across more than 40 countries. Recipient of the 2022 Peres Center for Peace Award, Lachter is also a 2023-24 Knight-Wallace Journalism Fellow at the University of Michigan. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communication and a master’s degree in political science.
A Cyclospora parasite outbreak has put lettuce in the spotlight as investigators examine a possible link to Taco Bell, raising concerns among consumers about whether it’s still safe to eat fresh greens.
While investigators have not identified a specific product or supplier as the source of the outbreak, interviews with sick patients have repeatedly pointed to lettuce and other salad greens as common exposures, and many of those patients also reported eating at Taco Bell before becoming ill.
State and federal health officials – including the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), CDC and FDA – are investigating a possible link between fresh ingredients served at certain Taco Bell locations and the Cyclospora outbreak.
A Cyclospora parasite outbreak has put lettuce in the spotlight as investigators examine a possible link to Taco Bell, raising concerns among consumers about whether it’s still safe to eat fresh greens.(iStock, Getty)
The chain has voluntarily removed select fresh ingredients at certain locations while public health officials continue their investigation.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, California-based Taco Bell Corp. said, “The health and safety of our guests is our top priority. Public health officials have not confirmed a link to Taco Bell or any specific ingredient, supplier, restaurant or retailer. While authorities continue their broader review, Taco Bell has voluntarily and temporarily removed limited ingredients at select restaurants as a precautionary measure. We will continue to closely monitor the situation and follow the guidance of public health authorities.”
What is Cyclospora?
Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite (Cyclospora cayetanensis) that infects the small intestine after people consume contaminated food or water, according to the CDC.
The agency confirmed that 1,645 domestic Cyclospora cases have been reported since May 1, most often linked to fresh produce, including leafy greens, cilantro and berries.
State and federal health officials – including the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), CDC and FDA – are investigating a possible link between fresh ingredients served at certain Taco Bell locations and the Cyclospora outbreak.(AP Photo/Jeff Amy, File)
The CDC is also investigating more than 5,100 additional suspected cases, with a total of 145 people having been hospitalized with the infection.
“Cyclosporiasis is not generally a life-threatening illness for most people,” Tammy Lundstrom, MD, senior vice president and chief medical officer of Trinity Health in Michigan, told Fox News Digital.
“The biggest concern is that it can cause severe, prolonged diarrhea that may last for weeks or even longer if it’s not diagnosed and treated.”
People should seek medical attention if they have lasting, severe diarrhea. The symptoms can be very prolonged in people with compromised immune systems, Lundstrom noted.
Experts share food safety guidance
Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, said the parasite has been primarily identified in packaged lettuce and salad bags, but no particular brand has been pinpointed.
“In the meantime, the best strategy is to wash lettuce and all salad greens thoroughly and to wash your hands with soap and water before and after preparing food,” he told Fox News Digital, adding that “the chances of acquiring it still remains extremely low.”
Doctors say the parasite has been primarily identified in packaged lettuce and salad bags, but no particular brand has been pinpointed.(iStock)
Registered dietitian nutritionist Caroline Margolis, the on-staff registered dietitian at Lifeway Foods, an Illinois-based company best known for its kefir and other cultured dairy products, also weighed in on the risk.
“While health officials have identified lettuce as the likely culprit, the exact source remains unknown,” she told Fox News Digital.
For now, she recommends skipping prewashed, bagged lettuce and salad mixes.
“Instead, choose whole heads of lettuce, discarding the outer two to three leaves, and wash and rinse thoroughly,” Margolis advised. “If you do develop cyclosporiasis, stay hydrated and seek medical care if needed.”
“Be sure to support your recovery with nutrient-rich, easy-to-digest foods and probiotic options like kefir, yogurt, bananas, apples and oatmeal.”
The parasite can cause severe, prolonged diarrhea that may last for weeks or even longer if it’s not diagnosed and treated.(iStock)
Lundstrom reiterated that it ’s unclear whether any specific fresh produce is responsible, even though past outbreaks have sometimes been linked to fruits and vegetables.
“Federal public health authorities have not issued any warnings to avoid lettuce or other fresh produce at this time,” she told Fox News Digital. “It is recommended to thoroughly wash lettuce and other leafy greens, which can significantly reduce the amount of any pathogen present.”
Until further information is known, Lundstrom said iceberg is currently a better option for lettuce. She recommends first washing the entire head, then discarding the outermost leaves.
“Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly when handling and preparing fresh produce,” she added.
Lundstrom added, “It’s important to remember that fruits and vegetables in all forms are an essential part of our daily healthy diet, and by exercising these practical preventive steps, people can still enjoy these nutritious foods.”
Melissa Rudy is senior health editor and a member of the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to [email protected].
