Cyclospora Outbreak Update: 10,930 Illnesses, 454 Hospitalizations and 2 Deaths

The Cyclospora outbreak linked to recalled iceberg lettuce has expanded again, but it is important not to treat every US Cyclospora illness as part of this outbreak. In its August 20 update, FDA said 10,930 illnesses across 17 states were associated with this specific multistate outbreak, with 454 hospitalizations and two reported deaths. FDA says the recalled Taylor Farms de Mexico iceberg lettuce linked to this outbreak should no longer be available for sale, although the outbreak investigation remains ongoing.

Last verified: August 22, 2026, using FDA’s August 20 outbreak update and the FDA-posted Taylor Fresh Foods recall information.

What changed in the Cyclospora outbreak?

FDA and CDC have expanded the identified multistate outbreak several times as state and local health officials completed additional interviews and linked more illnesses to exposure to processed iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico.

The latest illness onset included in FDA’s August 20 update was August 11, 2026.

The 17 states with illnesses associated with this outbreak are:

• Arkansas;
• Iowa;
• Illinois;
• Indiana;
• Kansas;
• Kentucky;
• Massachusetts;
• Maine;
• Michigan;
• Missouri;
• Nebraska;
• New Hampshire;
• North Carolina;
• Ohio;
• Oklahoma;
• Pennsylvania;
• West Virginia.

Why are case numbers still increasing if the lettuce was recalled?

There can be a substantial delay between a person becoming sick and that illness being classified as part of a particular outbreak.

FDA previously explained that it can take as long as six weeks for CDC and state officials to determine whether a sick person belongs to this outbreak.

Officials therefore may continue adding previously occurring illnesses even after a recalled product has been removed from stores and restaurants.

FDA says most illnesses currently associated with this outbreak began before the July 17 recall.

Is recalled Taylor Farms lettuce still being sold?

FDA says recalled products linked to this outbreak should no longer be available for sale and that it remains confident the recalled iceberg lettuce associated with this specific outbreak is off the market.

That changes the practical consumer question. The main issue is no longer whether every shopper should remove newly purchased iceberg lettuce from the refrigerator. Consumers should instead determine whether they previously purchased, received or consumed a product covered by the recall.

If recalled lettuce was previously stored or handled in your home, FDA recommends carefully cleaning and sanitising surfaces and containers that it touched.

Is the Cyclospora outbreak investigation over?

No. FDA continues to classify the investigation as ongoing.

FDA says it has initiated onsite inspections and sampling at iceberg-lettuce growers in Mexico in coordination with Mexican officials.

Federal, state and international authorities are continuing the investigation even though FDA believes the recalled lettuce associated with this specific outbreak is no longer on the market.

Were deaths reported in the lettuce-linked outbreak?

Yes. The outbreak continues to include two reported deaths.

FDA’s August 5 update identified both deaths in Michigan. FDA said both individuals had significant underlying health conditions that may have been adversely affected by cyclosporiasis and dehydration.

Both individuals had illness-onset dates before Taylor Farms de Mexico initiated the voluntary recall on July 17.

The death count remained at two in FDA’s August 13 and August 20 updates.

Is all iceberg lettuce recalled?

No. The recall concerns specified iceberg lettuce associated with Taylor Farms de Mexico and sourced from central Mexico.

It does not establish that every head of iceberg lettuce, every packaged salad or every lettuce supplier in the United States is unsafe.

Taylor Farms de Mexico voluntarily removed iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the US market. The recall includes specified retail products and numerous food-service products.

Consumers should check whether their product matches the official recall information rather than relying only on the word “lettuce,” the retailer name or the appearance of the package.

Which Marketside lettuce products should consumers check?

The FDA outbreak and recall information identified the following Marketside products:

The identified Marketside products were distributed through selected Walmart stores in specified states.

The broader Taylor Farms de Mexico recall also covers numerous food-service products with different brands, descriptions, package sizes, lot information and date ranges.

Consumers, restaurants and retailers should therefore check the complete official recall notice when a product cannot be identified from the Marketside listing alone.

What should you do if you previously had recalled lettuce?

• Do not eat any matching recalled product that remains in your possession. Discard it or follow the retailer’s return instructions.
• Do not taste a recalled product to determine whether it is safe.
• Clean and sanitise refrigerator shelves, containers, cutting boards, utensils and other surfaces that touched the recalled lettuce.
• Wash your hands after handling a recalled product.
• Check the complete recall notice if the packaging does not clearly match the retail products listed above.
• Ask the retailer, restaurant or supplier if you cannot determine where previously purchased lettuce originated.

FDA says recalled products associated with this outbreak should no longer be available for sale.

Are all US Cyclospora cases linked to recalled lettuce?

No. This is one of the most important distinctions in interpreting the federal numbers.

The 10,930 illnesses reported by FDA on August 20 refer to people currently associated with this specific multistate outbreak linked to processed iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico.

That figure should not be interpreted as the total number of Cyclospora infections occurring throughout the United States from every source.

Other Cyclospora illnesses and investigations may have different or unidentified food exposures.

What happened to the earlier national Cyclospora figures?

Earlier national surveillance figures described a broader pool of domestically acquired Cyclospora illnesses and reports under investigation.

Those historical national figures should not be added to FDA’s current 10,930 lettuce-linked outbreak illnesses.

The datasets are not necessarily independent. People ultimately classified as part of this iceberg-lettuce outbreak can also have appeared within broader Cyclospora surveillance.

Why did the lettuce-linked outbreak expand so sharply?

The federal investigation has changed as state and local health officials completed more interviews and CDC associated additional illnesses with this outbreak.

On August 5, FDA said the outbreak definition had expanded to include additional people reporting exposure to Taco Bell or recalled Taylor Farms de Mexico iceberg lettuce.

That update increased the outbreak from the earlier 1,947 illnesses in nine states to 6,358 illnesses in 15 states.

FDA said the increase was due in part to additional interview information and the identification of six additional states associated with the outbreak.

On August 13, the outbreak grew again to 9,481 illnesses across 17 states, adding Maine and Massachusetts.

By August 20, additional interviews had increased the outbreak total to 10,930 illnesses, but the number of states remained at 17.

Most of these illnesses began before the July 17 recall.

Was recalled lettuce served at Taco Bell?

Yes. The federal investigation includes people who reported exposure to processed iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico at various locations, including people who previously reported eating at Taco Bell.

Taco Bell told FDA that it was no longer using lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico as of July 17, 2026.

This does not mean every Taco Bell location in the United States was implicated or that every person associated with the current outbreak ate at Taco Bell.

The outbreak now includes people reporting relevant Taylor Farms de Mexico iceberg-lettuce exposure from multiple locations and purchase channels.

Where was the recalled iceberg lettuce distributed?

FDA’s August 20 outbreak information confirms recalled-product distribution in:

Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin and West Virginia.

FDA also says recalled product may have been distributed further and reached additional jurisdictions, including California, the District of Columbia, Delaware, North Dakota, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont and Washington.

What is Cyclospora?

Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite that causes an intestinal illness called cyclosporiasis.

People can become infected by consuming food or water contaminated with the parasite.

FDA says direct person-to-person transmission is unlikely because the parasite generally needs time in the environment after being passed before it becomes infectious.

What are the symptoms of Cyclospora infection?

The most common symptom is diarrhoea with frequent bowel movements. Other symptoms may include:

• loss of appetite;
• weight loss;
• stomach cramps or pain;
• bloating;
• increased gas;
• nausea;
• fatigue;
• vomiting;
• body aches;
• headache;
• fever.

Some infected people may have no symptoms.

How long can Cyclospora symptoms last?

If untreated, cyclosporiasis may last from several days to a month or longer. Symptoms can appear to improve and then return.

People with weakened immune systems may experience more severe or prolonged illness and may require closer medical attention.

When should someone contact a healthcare provider?

FDA advises people with symptoms of cyclosporiasis to contact a healthcare provider to report their symptoms and receive care, especially if they ate shredded iceberg lettuce during the two weeks before becoming sick.

Frequent or prolonged watery diarrhoea can cause dehydration, and severe illness may require a higher level of medical care.

This article cannot determine whether an individual illness is cyclosporiasis or whether it is associated with this outbreak.

Can washing lettuce remove Cyclospora?

Rinsing fresh produce under clean running water is an appropriate general food-safety step, but FDA says rinsing may not reliably eliminate Cyclospora.

Do not wash and eat a product that you confirm is part of a recall. Follow the recall instructions instead.

What should consumers check right now?

1. Check whether you still have an older product: FDA says recalled products should no longer be available for sale, so the immediate concern is primarily previously purchased or stored product.
2. Check the product name: Do not rely only on the words “iceberg lettuce.”
3. Check the package size: Match the package against the official recall listing.
4. Check the date information: Review the best-if-used-by date, lot information or other recall identifiers.
5. Check the retailer: Determine whether the product was sold through an affected distribution channel.
6. Check food-service exposure: Restaurant and institutional products may not use the same packaging as retail lettuce.
7. Do not eat a matching recalled product: Discard it or follow retailer return instructions.
8. Clean contact surfaces: Sanitise refrigerator areas, containers, cutting boards and utensils that touched recalled lettuce.
9. Monitor symptoms: Contact a healthcare provider if symptoms develop after possible exposure.

What is confirmed, and what remains under investigation?

What remains unknown?

• the final number of illnesses associated with this iceberg-lettuce outbreak;
• the final hospitalization and death totals;
• whether additional states or exposure locations will eventually be added;
• whether investigation or sampling will identify additional relevant findings;
• the source of every other Cyclospora illness reported nationally;
• how many illnesses were never diagnosed or reported;
• when FDA and CDC will formally close the outbreak investigation.

Latest verified position

Lettuce-linked outbreak: FDA’s August 20 update reports 10,930 illnesses across 17 states.

Hospitalizations: 454.

Deaths: Two.

Latest illness onset: August 11, 2026.

Recall status: FDA says recalled Taylor Farms de Mexico iceberg lettuce associated with this specific outbreak should no longer be available for sale and is believed to be off the market.

Investigation: Ongoing. FDA has initiated onsite inspections and sampling at iceberg-lettuce growers in Mexico in coordination with Mexican officials.

Main clarification: The 10,930 figure is the count associated with this particular multistate outbreak. It is not a count of every Cyclospora illness in the United States.

This remains a developing public-health article. Outbreak totals, investigation findings and distribution information may change. Check FDA, CDC, state health departments and current recall information before acting.

Verification note