Health officials declare end to largest cyclospora outbreak in history
Federal health officials announced Friday that the United States' largest recorded outbreak of cyclosporiasis has ended. The outbreak, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention linked to contaminated lettuce, infected 12,883 people across 21 states and resulted in more than 500 hospitalizations and two deaths in Michigan.
Why It Matters
The event was the largest cyclospora outbreak in the country and produced thousands of illnesses and hundreds of hospital stays, highlighting the severe public-health consequences when contaminated produce enters the food supply.
Key Facts
- outbreak status: Declared ended by federal health officials (Friday)
- pathogen: Cyclospora
- linked food: Contaminated lettuce
- total cases: 12,883 people
- states affected: 21 states
Federal health officials said Friday that the nation's largest outbreak of cyclosporiasis has come to an end. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention traced the cluster of infections to contaminated lettuce and documented the scope of illnesses nationwide.
According to the CDC, 12,883 people across 21 states became ill during the outbreak. More than 500 of those affected required hospitalization, underscoring the potential severity of the foodborne illness for some patients.
Michigan reported the greatest impact of any state, with two deaths attributed to the outbreak. Those fatalities were the only deaths mentioned by federal health authorities in their announcement.
The declaration that the outbreak has ended follows the CDC's investigation and epidemiologic tracking linking cases back to contaminated lettuce. Federal officials said the outbreak exhausted its spread, concluding the public-health response to this particular event.
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