The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared the Cyclospora outbreak related to Taylor Farms lettuce over Friday, though the Food and Drug Administration says its investigation remains ongoing.
The big picture: Thousands of people fell ill as the outbreak rapidly surged throughout the country this summer as federal authorities searched for its origin amid a backdrop of overlapping food safety investigations.
Driving the news: "This outbreak has ended. The number of recent infections linked to the outbreak has significantly declined," the CDC said in a Friday update, noting the "contaminated lettuce linked to this outbreak is no longer available in stores or restaurants."
- The CDC currently lists 12,883 cases, 570 hospitalizations and two deaths across 21 states.
- Taylor Farms, a large retail and restaurant supplier, recalled lettuce sourced from central Mexico in connection with the outbreak. The outbreak also included people who reported eating at Taco Bell, which removed the affected Taylor Farms lettuce.
Between the lines: Health officials stressed the challenge of tracking the tiny parasite because of the short shelf life of fresh produce and the lengthy incubation period before symptoms appear.
- The FDA said in a Friday update that its on-site inspections and sample collections at lettuce growers and the Mexico-based processing facility have also ended, and the samples are pending analysis.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.