The CDC counted 11,458 Cyclospora infections across 20 U.S. states as of August 27, 2026. Of these, 495 people were hospitalized and two died. The total increased from the previous count of 10,930 cases across 17 states after Georgia, Tennessee, and Texas were added. According to the FDA’s announcement from the same period, the latest illness onset date was August 15.

The key point is that both the increase in reported infections and the recall’s risk classification have been confirmed. On August 28, the FDA classified Taylor Farms de Mexico’s recall of processed iceberg lettuce from central Mexico as Class I. The FDA defines Class I as a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that use of or exposure to the recalled product could cause serious adverse health consequences or death.

Key developments

The FDA and CDC said that the patients under investigation included people who reported exposure to processed iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms de Mexico from central Mexico. Taylor Farms de Mexico voluntarily recalled iceberg lettuce from central Mexico from the U.S. market on July 17. The recall included retail products and lettuce supplied to Taco Bell.

However, the term “link” does not mean that Cyclospora was directly detected in the product. Mexico’s Ministry of Health announced on July 24 that Cyclospora had not been detected in Mexican lettuce samples tested by Mexico and the United States. It described the connection between the U.S. outbreak and lettuce consumption as an epidemiological association based on patient interviews and statistical analysis.

What has been established in this case is an epidemiological link between infections and a specific supply chain and food exposure; laboratory-confirmed positivity in lettuce samples has not been established.

The FDA’s July 19 update also stated that positive results from lettuce samples associated with Taylor Farms at the time were false positives and that no laboratory-confirmed positive results for Cyclospora had been found in product testing. Accordingly, it is inaccurate to say that the parasite was definitively detected in Mexican lettuce or to generalize that all Mexican lettuce and Taylor Farms products were contaminated.

Current status

The FDA said it is confident that the recalled products are past their use-by dates and that, based on its recall audit, recalled iceberg lettuce associated with this outbreak is no longer on the market. This describes the scope and timing of the specific recall; it does not mean that every lettuce product currently sold is safe, nor that products outside the recall list must all be discarded.

The FDA and CDC investigations are ongoing. Field inspections and sampling are underway at lettuce farms and processing facilities in Mexico. The CDC and FDA also said they are investigating other Cyclospora infections and outbreaks nationwide that are unrelated to this outbreak.

Impact and what to check

Symptoms of Cyclospora infection may include watery diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, abdominal pain or cramps, bloating, increased gas, nausea, and fatigue. Symptoms usually begin about one week after infection, but the onset can range from two days to more than two weeks. Symptoms alone cannot confirm an infection.

The CDC advises that routine stool testing may not always screen for Cyclospora. People concerned about possible exposure or experiencing symptoms such as diarrhea should ask a healthcare professional whether Cyclospora testing is needed. Symptoms alone should not be used to conclude that a particular food or product was contaminated.

Consumers should check the following:

  1. Check whether any product they have falls within the July 17 Taylor Farms de Mexico recall.
  2. If it is part of the recall, do not eat it and follow the relevant instructions for disposal or refunds.
  3. If experiencing diarrhea or other symptoms, tell a healthcare professional when the symptoms began and describe any food consumption or exposure history, then discuss whether testing is needed.
  4. Recheck the latest FDA and CDC notices for the recall scope and whether products remain on the market.

Next update to watch

The investigation may continue to produce updates on case counts, supply-chain tracing, and the results of field inspections and sampling in Mexico. The key points to watch in the next announcement are additional cases and affected states, field-testing results, and any changes to the recall scope. In particular, it is important to distinguish changes in the case count after the latest illness onset date of August 15 from the distribution status of recalled products associated with this outbreak.

Until additional official announcements are issued, the appropriate reference point is the August 27 count of 11,458 cases across 20 states, 495 hospitalizations, and two deaths, along with the Class I classification announced on August 28. Epidemiological association and laboratory detection are different standards of evidence, so it is important not to combine them and describe product contamination as definitively established.