An Illinois health spokesperson told The Packer today that fresh produce was the likely culprit sickening at least 71 people with Salmonella who ate at Subway restaurants in 22 different counties.

But no one’s really talking. That Spongebob cone of silence is working a lot better for the produce industry that it is for BP.

As of this morning, there were 71 confirmed cases of Salmonella serotype Hvittingfoss affecting people from 2- to 88-years-old.

Melaney Arnold, communications manager for the Illinois Department of Public Health told The Packer 26 people have been hospitalized, and seven were still in the hospital as of today.

Subway restaurants in 22 Illinois counties removed lettuce, green peppers, red onions and tomatoes from restaurants during the period in which people who got sick reported eating at a Subway — May 11 to May 25, according to the department — and replaced them with new product, according to a Subway news release.