Kennedy says cyclospora outbreak is contained as cases top 1,600

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Tuesday that a cyclosporiasis outbreak linked by federal investigators to shredded iceberg lettuce is “under control,” as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported more than 1,644 cases. The CDC has recorded 94 hospitalizations and no deaths, while the Food and Drug Administration has pointed to lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms and served in some Yum Brands’ Taco Bell restaurants.

Kennedy, speaking at a briefing on health care fraud, said federal officials had identified the outbreak’s source and that the companies involved had started a recall. Taylor Farms has recalled produce connected to the outbreak, and Taco Bell has removed the lettuce from its restaurants, according to the FDA’s findings described by CNBC.

The outbreak has drawn scrutiny of the federal response, including criticism of the FDA and CDC over the time taken to warn the public and locate the suspected source. Both agencies sit within HHS, which Kennedy leads.

Critics have also argued that job and program cuts under the Trump administration may have weakened the investigation. Kennedy rejected that charge at the briefing, saying, “Those criticisms are invalid.” He said there had been no reductions in the surveillance program and that cuts to FoodNet involved what he called “redundant surveillance.”

FoodNet cuts add to scrutiny

FoodNet, formally the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network, is a partnership among the CDC, the FDA, 10 state health departments and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The network stopped mandatory reporting last year for six of eight pathogens it tracks, including cyclospora, because of funding cuts, according to CNBC.

Cyclospora can complicate public health investigations because the parasite has a lengthy incubation period. That delay can make it harder for investigators to connect illnesses to a specific food item, supplier or point in the distribution chain.

The CDC, FDA and public health officials in several states have been investigating the outbreak. The first illnesses appeared on May 13, according to the CDC.

FDA says lettuce remains suspected source

The FDA has concluded that the current outbreak is linked to shredded iceberg lettuce from central Mexico supplied by Taylor Farms. Some of the lettuce was served by Taco Bell, part of Yum Brands.

Confusion increased after the FDA disclosed a false positive test for cyclospora in a Taylor Farms lettuce sample during its inquiry. The agency issued a clarification Monday, saying it still suspects the company’s iceberg lettuce as the outbreak source.

The public health investigation remains significant for restaurant operators, produce distributors and regulators because packaged lettuce can move through broad supply chains before illnesses are confirmed. For companies, recalls remove products from commerce after a suspected contamination is identified; for health agencies, case counts and exposure interviews help determine whether the contaminated product has been contained.

This story draws on original reporting from CNBC.