US declares end of largest recorded cyclosporiasis outbreak
US health authorities have officially declared the end of the nation's largest cyclosporiasis outbreak, which was linked to contaminated iceberg lettuce. The outbreak resulted in nearly 13,000 cases, 570 hospitalizations, and two deaths across 21 states.
Why it matters
This event highlights significant food safety vulnerabilities in large-scale agricultural supply chains and the effectiveness of federal recall protocols.
The FDA says contaminated lettuce has been removed from the market after nearly 13,000 linked cases.
x whatsapp-stroke copylink google Add Al Jazeera on Google info Boxes of Taylor Farms Lettuce sit stacked amid reports of slumping consumer confidence in lettuce and other fresh produce during the current cyclosporiasis outbreak that has sickened thousands across the US in Washington, DC, July 24, 2026 [Nathan Howard/Reuters] By Al Jazeera Staff and Reuters Published On 11 Sep 2026 11 Sep 2026 United States health authorities have officially declared the nation’s largest recorded outbreak of cyclosporiasis over, after contaminated iceberg lettuce sickened nearly 13,000 people across 21 states.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Friday it is confident that all recalled lettuce linked to the outbreak has been removed from the market.
The CDC has recorded 12,883 cases linked to the outbreak, including 570 hospitalisations and two deaths .
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