Federal officials are planning to declare the end of this summer’s outbreak of cyclosporiasis tied to iceberg lettuce, the Washington Post reported. The declaration may come as soon as Thursday.
The outbreak, spanning 20 states, has sickened at least 11,458 people, among whom 495 have been hospitalized and two died, according to the US Food and Drug Administration and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of August 27.
The outbreak grew to be the largest on record in the US. The hardest-hit state was Michigan, where about 1 in every 1,000 people had cyclosporiasis.
While the declaration marks a significant public health moment, the iceberg lettuce connected to the outbreak has been recalled, and in an update last month, the FDA said it “remains confident that all recalled iceberg lettuce related to this specific Cyclospora outbreak is off the market” and that “product should no longer be available in stores or restaurants.”
Investigators said data pointed them toward shredded iceberg lettuce associated with illnesses in people who reported eating at some Taco Bell locations. The FDA traced the lettuce to the company Taylor Farms and growers based in Mexico. In mid-July, Taylor Farms de Mexico announced that it had removed all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the US market, and Taylor Farms began a recall.
