Federal officials are expected to declare an end to the nation's largest known cyclosporiasis outbreak, , potentially closing the chapter on a foodborne illness event that sickened more than 19,500 people across the United States and left investigators searching for answers they may never find. The news came according to a Washington Post report published Thursday afternoon, citing two unnamed sources. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not publicly confirmed that an announcement is imminent.
But according to the report, officials are preparing to formally declare the outbreak over after case counts and new reports declined in recent weeks. "[T]he Administration will continue to rigorously monitor, [assess], and respond to all disease threats to the American people," a White House official told Newsweek on Thursday afternoon. Newsweek reached out to the FDA and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) by email for comment.
The outbreak's scale was unprecedented. Prior to 2026, the worst U.S. Cyclospora season on record occurred in 2019, when federal health officials documented roughly 4,700 illnesses.
The outbreak's reach was amplified by Taylor Farms products' role in major food-service supply chains. FDA records show recalled products were packaged for multiple food service and retail operations, including brands under Yum! Brands and other large restaurant chains.
Early in the investigation, many illnesses were associated with people who reported eating at Taco Bell locations, helping investigators narrow their search. While federal investigators eventually linked the largest outbreak cluster to shredded iceberg lettuce, scientists never identified a cyclospora-positive lettuce sample. And although lettuce emerged as the leading suspect based on epidemiological and traceback evidence, the precise point at which contamination occurred may never be known.
Cyclospora can be difficult to trace and contaminated produce often disappears from the supply chain long before testing begins. By the time outbreaks are recognized, the food responsible has frequently been consumed or discarded. The uncertainty extends beyond the Taylor Farms-linked illnesses.
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