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Two Deaths Confirmed in Cyclospora Outbreak Centered in Michigan

Investigators are tracing produce supply chains after officials linked illnesses to Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce removed from the market.

Overview

  • Michigan officials confirmed on Monday that two state residents have died in connection with the multi-state Cyclospora outbreak and that both had significant underlying health conditions.
  • Federal data show an unusually large season with more than 18,000 domestic cases identified so far, including 6,707 confirmed infections and roughly 11,500 additional cases pending laboratory classification.
  • Michigan has reported 11,234 cases and 193 hospitalizations to date, making it one of the largest clusters in a multi-state investigation centered in the Midwest.
  • The FDA, CDC and state partners are conducting epidemiologic and supply-chain tracing; investigators have linked some illnesses to iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms, which has been removed from the market.
  • Cyclospora is a parasite that contaminates fresh produce or water and causes prolonged watery diarrhea; severe outcomes and deaths are uncommon but more likely in people with other health problems, testing delays complicate confirmation, and more sources or recalls may still emerge.