Federal health officials on Friday declared an end to one of the largest parasitic foodborne outbreaks in recent U.S. history — a summer-long cyclospora nightmare traced to tainted iceberg lettuce that sickened nearly 13,000 people, hospitalized hundreds and killed two.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the outbreak, linked to iceberg lettuce grown in central Mexico and processed by Taylor Farms de Mexico, ultimately sickened 12,883 people across 21 states, sending 570 to the hospital. Two people died. CBS News and Food Safety Magazine both confirmed the case count and closure announcement.

How bad it got

At its peak in July, the outbreak was driving more than 1,000 new confirmed infections a day, according to the CDC. Illnesses stretched from Texas and Georgia up through the Midwest and into New England, hitting states including Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Tennessee and Virginia. Taylor Farms voluntarily recalled all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico on July 17 after federal investigators traced the contamination back to the company's supply chain — lettuce that, per CBS News, had also been served at Taco Bell locations nationwide.

Cyclosporiasis, caused by the microscopic parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis, brings on watery diarrhea, cramping, fatigue and loss of appetite that can drag on for weeks if untreated. Symptoms typically surface about a week after exposure. Health officials say the broader 2026 cyclospora season was extraordinary by any measure: the CDC logged 19,595 lab-confirmed domestically acquired cases nationwide between May and August, more than 16 times the roughly 1,180 cases recorded over the same stretch in 2025.

"THERE IS NO RISK OF PEOPLE GETTING SICK WITH CYCLOSPORIASIS FROM THIS SOURCE."

That assessment, from the CDC's closeout notice, reflects a sharp drop-off in new infections since the summer peak — by August, the agency was tracking fewer than two new cases a day tied to the Taylor Farms lettuce, and all recalled product has long since passed its sell-by date and cleared store shelves and restaurant supply chains.

What's still unresolved

Even with the outbreak officially closed, the FDA said it has not pinpointed exactly how the lettuce became contaminated in the first place and is continuing root-cause sampling and working with Mexican agricultural and public health authorities. The agency is also still investigating four separate, smaller cyclospora clusters tied to unidentified food sources, ranging from 18 to 231 cases each — a reminder that this summer's parasite scare may not be entirely finished, even if the headline outbreak is now in the books.