CDC Declares U.S. Cyclospora Outbreak Over
Federal agencies say falling case counts followed a July recall of pre‑chopped iceberg lettuce but the FDA’s investigation into how the Mexican‑grown product became contaminated remains open.
Overview
- The CDC announced Friday that the summer 2026 cyclospora outbreak has ended after new infections dropped to low levels following public‑health actions.
- Officials linked the illnesses to pre‑chopped iceberg lettuce traced to Taylor Farms de México and the company recalled the implicated product on July 17.
- Federal counts show 12,883 confirmed linked illnesses across 21 states, 570 hospitalizations and two deaths, with Michigan the hardest hit.
- The FDA completed on‑site inspections and sample collection at fields and the Doctor Mora processing plant in central Mexico, but laboratory analysis of those samples is still pending.
- Health officials say the outbreak was the largest recorded in the United States and exposed limits in surveillance and international produce inspections that delayed linking cases and identifying the contamination route.