The Ministry of Health is investigating if lettuce associated with an outbreak of intestinal illness in the US has been imported to Bermuda.

Shredded iceberg lettuce originating in Mexico and distributed in the United States has been blamed for thousands of cases of cyclosporiasis, diarrhoea caused by the parasite cyclospora, since May.

A health ministry spokeswoman said that the affected produce were primarily supplied through food-service channels rather than retail.

She added: “Environmental health officers are currently verifying whether any of the affected products were imported into Bermuda.

“Under standard practice, any importer receiving a recall notice from a producer is expected to act on it immediately.”