RFK Jr. says outbreak is under control

Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The ongoing cyclosporiasis outbreak is “under control,” he said Tuesday.

“We have identified the source of the outbreak and the companies involved have implemented the recall,” Kennedy said while responding to questions at a news briefing on health care fraud.

Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and PreventionThe officials, both under Kennedy’s purview as HHS secretary, have faced criticism for their response to the pandemic. Critics have criticized federal agencies for delays in alerting the public and finding the source of the outbreak. It’s linked to shredded iceberg lettuce from central Mexico, supplied by produce giant Taylor Farms.

Some have argued that the Trump administration’s agency cuts hindered the investigation, although the cyclospora parasite created difficulties due to its long incubation period.

During the briefing, Kennedy, responding to a question about criticism of layoffs under his leadership, said, “These criticisms are invalid.” “There were no cuts to the surveillance program. We did make cuts to the FoodNet program, but they were for unnecessary oversight.”

GıdaNetThe Foodborne Illness Active Surveillance Network stopped mandatory reporting for six of eight pathogens, including cyclospora, last year due to funding cuts. The organization is a partnership between the CDC, FDA, 10 state health departments and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The FDA has concluded that the current cyclospora outbreak is linked to iceberg lettuce, which some are served with. Yum Brands‘Taco Bell. While Taylor Farms recalled products linked to the epidemic, Taco Bell also pulled the products from its restaurants.

But the FDA’s message during its investigation that a sample of Taylor Farms lettuce tested false positive for cyclospora caused confusion and led the agency to issue a statement Monday. It was stated that the company’s iceberg lettuce is still suspected to be the source of the outbreak.

The CDC, FDA and public health officials in several states are investigating the outbreak, which first emerged on May 13. More than 1,644 cases have been reported so far, including 94 hospitalizations and no deaths, according to the CDC.