Two individuals in Michigan have died during a cyclosporiasis outbreak, which is potentially the first recorded deaths from this illness in the United States. State health officials have reported that the deceased had significant underlying health conditions exacerbated by cyclosporiasis and dehydration. As of August 3, 2026, Michigan has recorded 11,234 cases of this parasitic illness since June 22, marking the largest outbreak in the state's history, with 193 reported hospitalizations. The outbreak is linked to contaminated iceberg lettuce produced by Taylor Farms in Mexico, impacting 71 counties in Michigan and spreading to Canada, where 24 cases have been reported. Health officials are advising to buy whole, unprocessed lettuce and maintain food safety practices.

Two people in Michigan have died amid cyclosporiasis outbreak, perhaps first in US

Portrait of Anne Snabes Anne Snabes

The Detroit News

Updated Aug. 3, 2026, 3:10 p.m. ET

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Two people with cyclosporiasis have died amid Michigan's largest outbreak of the parasitic illness, state health officials reported Monday, though they provided few details about the circumstances surrounding the deaths, including the counties in which they occurred or the victims' ages.

Officials with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said Monday the individuals who died had "significant underlying health conditions that may have been impacted by cyclosporiasis and dehydration." But they said no other details, including the location of the deaths, would be released.

"No additional information will be provided on these two cases," the department said.

The deaths appear to be the first reported by a state health department in the United States amid this summer's cyclosporiasis outbreak, which started in late June and has hit multiple states hard. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had recorded no deaths through July 27.

State health officials said cyclosporiasis, which usually causes frequent, watery explosive diarrhea, is generally not a life-threatening illness.

"Death resulting from cyclosporiasis is uncommon in the United States," the Michigan department said.

Dr. Rebecca Schein, an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics and Human Development at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, was more emphatic, saying death from the Cyclospora illness is "extremely rare."

The number of cyclosporiasis cases in Michigan, meanwhile, continues to rise, though they appear to be leveling off. State health officials on Monday reported that there have been 11,234 cases of the parasitic illness in Michigan since June 22, an 8% increase over last Thursday's case total of 10,386. It's the largest outbreak of cyclosporiasis to hit Michigan, which typically has about 50 cases each year.

Michigan is seeing deaths now related to the parasitic illness given the high number of cases it's had, said Dr. Teena Chopra, professor of internal medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit.

Typically, cyclosporiasis is a treatable illness, but she said people, especially older adults, immunocompromised individuals and those with multiple comorbid illnesses, should go to their doctor if they have diarrhea.

“I would urge people to seek help early on because there is an antibiotic that we can give for it,” Chopra said, referring to the antibiotic Bactrim.

The outbreak has been linked to contaminated lettuce, and 71 counties in Michigan have been impacted. As of last Thursday, 193 people had reportedly been hospitalized, according to the state health department. The CDC has recorded 423 hospitalizations nationwide through July 27.

But after daily cases peaked July 13 with 726 in one day, the number of cases of cyclosporiasis reported each day to the state health department has declined.

In Michigan, the largest case totals are in Wayne County with 1,625 cases, Oakland County with 1,043 cases, Washtenaw County with 875 cases, and Ingham County with 810 cases.

The CDC, the Food and Drug Administration and state public health officials have been investigating a link between the outbreak and iceberg lettuce grown by Taylor Farms in central Mexico. The outbreak has hit nine states, including Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, Kansas, Illinois, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania.

In late July, Taylor Farms temporarily shut down its Central Mexico processing facility linked to the outbreak. It produces 5-pound bags of shredded iceberg lettuce sold to Taco Bell, Sysco and other large food distributors that Taylor Farms voluntarily recalled on July 17.

Cases spread to Canada

Meanwhile, the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit in Canada, which covers the city of Windsor, Essex County and Pelee Island, said Friday that it had identified 24 cases of cyclosporiasis in 2026. The region averages around three cases in a typical year. The health unit said that local public health investigations have identified travel to Michigan as a common exposure among many recent cases.

"The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) is advising residents to take precautions when travelling to Michigan following a significant increase in cases of cyclosporiasis reported locally and throughout the State of Michigan," the agency said in a news release.

How cyclosporiasis affects the body

Wayne State's Chopra said Cyclospora, the parasite that causes cyclosporiasis, invades people’s intestinal cells. She said it can cause severe dehydration. People lose electrolytes when they are dehydrated.

“Now, if we are healthy, we can compensate,” she said. “Our bodies can compensate.”

But people who are older than 65 don’t “have the same immune system to fight the infection,” and their bodies are more vulnerable to dehydration, Chopra said.

Dehydration affects other organs in the body, Chopra said. Cyclosporiasis can be a contributing cause to a person’s death, she said. Chopra said for a patient with heart disease, for example, cyclosporiasis can worsen their heart disease, which can lead to complications.

MSU's Stein said Cyclospora causes watery diarrhea that can last for days to weeks. She noted that diarrhea, especially if it lasts a long time, can cause dehydration.

"When you are dehydrated, that can damage your kidneys," she said in a statement. "For most people this is not a big problem, but if you have health issues and especially kidney problems, complications can occur."

What to do about lettuce during outbreak

To avoid more cases, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services recommends buying whole heads of lettuce or salad greens instead of bagged lettuce, removing the outer leaves, trimming any damaged areas and washing the produce thoroughly before eating it.

The state health department said in an FAQ document that while the investigation is ongoing, current results point to lettuce or salad greens as a potential source for this outbreak, "although other food items cannot be completely ruled out." Past Cyclospora outbreaks have been linked to raspberries, basil, cilantro, snow peas and mesclun lettuce.

"Continue to follow general food safety practices for all fresh produce: Wash it, peel it if you can, cook it," the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said. "Do not assume that any specific item is 'cleared' unless public health authorities explicitly say so."

asnabes@detroitnews.com

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