‘I ate it the other day’: Jake shrugs off Taco Bell’s link to nationwide ‘explosive’ diarrhea outbreak

Cyclosporiasis, a gastrointestinal disease that causes “explosive” diarrhea, has been confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to have sickened at least one person in Washington.

While a specific cause hasn’t been narrowed down, Taco Bell is being investigated as a potential source of the outbreak, and multiple restaurants in Michigan have posted notices that the chain was unable to sell lettuce, cilantro, onion, pico de gallo, and guacamole due to a nationwide recall, The Washington Post reported Tuesday, citing media reports.

Jake and Spike broke down the outbreak, with Jake unfazed by the risk

Jake Skorheim, co-host of “The Jake and Spike Show” on KIRO Newsradio, detailed a recent experience eating at Taco Bell after news of an “explosive” diarrhea outbreak swept the nation, and though he felt fine, he believed that was a common occurrence at Taco Bell anyway.

“Here’s a question for you, and maybe this is too much information, so I do apologize, but I like to speak plainly with you folks,” Jake said. “Outside of this diarrhea problem that’s sweeping the nation, this has kind of always been my experience when I eat at Taco Bell. You know what I mean?”

“It gives you tummy troubles?” Spike asked.

“I wouldn’t say that it is something that I hold on to for very long,” Jake said. “I wouldn’t even know if it was a problem, you know what I mean?”

“There’s a degree,” Spike said. “That’s what this is like for folks, 5,000 cases nationwide. I mean, this is a major ordeal.”

While the CDC has now confirmed the outbreak reached Washington, Public Health previously told MyNorthwest there have been 15 cases among King County residents, but only one person was exposed locally. The other 14 cases were linked to travel outside the U.S.

The diarrhea outbreak did little to deter Jake from his recent Taco Bell run

Jake explained that the parasite did not keep him from dining at Taco Bell just the other day, and his experience was “fantastic,” just like the many others he’s had over the years.

“I mean, it didn’t stop me from eating at Taco Bell my entire life. I don’t know that it’s going to stop me now, I ate it the other day,” Jake said. “I feel great. I had Taco Bell two nights ago. I ate a taco pizza among other things, and I feel fantastic.”

“I felt bad yesterday. We’re kind of all pointing the fingers at Taco Bell from a national story that came out, but apparently, it’s any produce right now,” Spike responded. “Don’t trust it for a while until they figure out what’s going on.”

The CDC has reported 34 states affected by the outbreak. There have been 141 hospitalizations and at least 1,645 cases across the U.S. However, the CDC noted the actual number of people sick with cyclosporiasis is likely higher because some people recover without medical care and are not tested for the disease.

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

Listen to “The Jake and Spike Show” weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. on KIRO Newsradio 97.3