The explosive diarrhea outbreak that sickened thousands of people in the U.S. this summer has ended, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Friday.
The outbreak marked the largest of cyclosporiasis, a gastrointestinal illness caused by a parasite known as Cyclospora cayetanensis, in the country’s known history.
People become infected by the parasite by consuming contaminated food or water; in the U.S., outbreaks of cyclosporiasis have often been tied to fresh produce. While some people may not experience any symptoms, others who become infected by the parasite may report “explosive” bowel movements.
In July, federal public health officials announced that they were investigating an outbreak of these infections in several states, eventually linking the cases to contaminated processed iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico. On July 17, the company recalled all of its iceberg lettuce products that were sourced from central Mexico, which it said it did “out of an abundance of caution.”
Read More: E. coli, Salmonella, Cyclospora: Is the U.S. Seeing a Surge in Foodborne Illnesses?
The CDC said on Friday that the number of recent cyclosporiasis cases tied to this summer’s outbreak “has significantly declined.” At the height of the outbreak, before the Taylor Farms recall, the CDC was reporting more than 1,000 cases in one day, but in August, the agency was reporting less than two each day.
“At this time, there is no risk of people getting sick with cyclosporiasis from this source,” the CDC said. “The best-by dates for all product linked to this outbreak have passed and it is no longer available in stores or restaurants.”
But, the agency added, the Food and Drug Administration is continuing with its investigation to determine how the lettuce product tied to the outbreak this summer was contaminated with Cyclospora cayetanensis.
Here’s what to know about the toll the outbreak took across the country.
How many people died in the Cyclospora outbreak this summer?
The CDC confirmed that two people died from cyclosporiasis in the outbreak this summer, both of them in Michigan.
Michigan public health officials revealed last month that the two individuals who died had “significant underlying health conditions that may have been impacted by cyclosporiasis and dehydration.”
Cyclosporiasis rarely becomes fatal; most people without underlying conditions recover even without receiving treatment.
How many people were sickened in the Cyclospora outbreak this summer?
According to the CDC, 12,883 people across the country were sickened by the parasite in the outbreak this summer, though the agency has said that the true number is likely even higher than that because people often recover from cyclosporiasis without seeking medical attention and so are never tested for the parasite. Of those confirmed cases, 570 were hospitalized.
In a typical year, the U.S. reports only a few thousands cases of cyclosporiasis. The five-year average of cases per year between 2018-2022, for instance, was just 3,285, according to data shared by the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment. And of those individuals, less than 200, on average, were hospitalized.
Which states were affected by the Cyclospora outbreak this summer?
Twenty-one states were affected by the Cyclospora outbreak this summer. Michigan was the hardest hit, with the CDC reporting more than 5,700 cases there. Ohio and Missouri also saw high numbers, reporting 2,871 and 1,071 cases, respectively. States including Indiana, Kentucky, Kansas, Nebraska, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Oklahoma saw case numbers in the triple digits.
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