Secretary of Well being and Human Providers Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., speaks throughout a press convention on the Well being and Human Providers headquarters in Washington, D.C., U.S., Feb. 23, 2026.
Nathan Howard | Reuters
Well being and Human Providers Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Tuesday mentioned that the continued outbreak of cyclosporiasis is “below management.”
“We have recognized the supply of the outbreak, and the businesses which might be concerned have carried out a recall,” Kennedy mentioned, responding to questions throughout a information briefing about well being care fraud.
The Meals and Drug Administration and the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention, each below Kennedy’s purview as HHS secretary, have confronted criticism for his or her responses to the outbreak. Critics have blasted the federal companies for the delays in alerting the general public and monitoring down the supply, which they’ve linked to shredded iceberg lettuce from central Mexico that was provided by produce large Taylor Farms.
Some have claimed that company cuts by the Trump administration have hampered the investigation, though the cyclospora parasite itself presents challenges resulting from its prolonged incubation interval.
“These criticisms are invalid,” Kennedy mentioned in the course of the briefing, responding to a query concerning criticism of the job cuts below his management. “We had no cuts within the surveillance program. We did cuts within the FoodNet program, however they had been for redundant surveillance.”
FoodNet, or the Foodborne Ailments Energetic Surveillance Community, stopped obligatory reporting for six of eight pathogens — together with cyclospora — final 12 months resulting from funding cuts. The group is a partnership between the CDC, the FDA, 10 state well being departments and the U.S. Division of Agriculture.
The FDA has concluded that the present cyclospora outbreak is linked to the iceberg lettuce, a few of which was served by Yum Manufacturers’ Taco Bell. Taylor Farms has recalled the produce linked to the outbreak, whereas Taco Bell has pulled it from its eating places.
Nevertheless, the company’s messaging a couple of false constructive take a look at for cyclospora in a pattern of Taylor Farms lettuce throughout its investigation sparked confusion, main the FDA to problem a clarification on Monday. It mentioned it nonetheless suspects the corporate’s iceberg lettuce is the supply of the outbreak.
The CDC, FDA and public well being officers in a number of states have been investigating the outbreak, with diseases first showing on Could 13. To this point, greater than 1,644 circumstances have been reported, with 94 hospitalizations and no deaths, in keeping with the CDC.
