Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Tuesday that federal officials have brought the multistate cyclospora outbreak “under control,” saying investigators have identified the source of the illnesses and implemented recalls, even as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continues investigating the precise source of the contamination.
“We do have the outbreak under control,” Kennedy said during a healthcare fraud briefing Tuesday. “We have done extensive forensics, epidemiological forensics and we have identified the source of the outbreak. We, and the companies that are involved, have implemented a recall.”
Kennedy’s comments came two days after the FDA said an earlier laboratory result indicating a Taylor Farms lettuce sample tested positive for cyclospora should be considered a false positive following an additional laboratory review.
The FDA said it continues investigating the outbreak and collecting product samples. While traceback investigators identified Taylor Farms de Mexico as the supplier of shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants linked to the outbreak, the agency said no product samples connected to the investigation have produced a confirmed positive result for the parasite.
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Taylor Fresh Foods said the FDA informed the company the initial laboratory finding was incorrect and that it voluntarily recalled iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico on July 17, after investigators linked the product to Taco Bell locations where many sick people reported eating before becoming ill.
The company said the recall was limited to iceberg lettuce grown and processed in central Mexico and did not include Taylor Farms-branded salad products sold at retail.
The outbreak has sickened 1,644 people and hospitalized 94 across Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia. Federal investigators continue working to determine the contaminated food responsible for the illnesses.
Cyclospora infections have historically been linked to fresh produce, including leafy greens, herbs and berries, though officials have not confirmed a contaminated product through laboratory testing in this investigation.
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Cyclospora is a parasite that can cause prolonged diarrhea, stomach cramps, fatigue and nausea. Some patients require hospitalization, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Kennedy also rejected criticism of the administration’s response after a reporter asked whether cuts to the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network, known as FoodNet, affected the government’s ability to investigate the outbreak.
“We did cuts in the FoodNet program, but they were for redundant surveillance, and all the states will tell you that we’re still doing forensics,” Kennedy said.
He added that surveillance efforts continue nationwide and called criticism of the administration’s response “invalid.”
