Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said on Tuesday that the cyclosporiasis outbreak is “under control,” even as critics fault federal health agencies for delays in alerts and in tracing the source. Kennedy made the remarks during a briefing in which he asserted that investigators have identified the outbreak’s origin and that the implicated companies have initiated recalls. He stressed that there have been no deaths reported and that hospitalizations remain limited, underscoring a belief that surveillance and response actions are now focused and coordinated across agencies.
Kennedy’s briefing followed persistent scrutiny of the FDA and the CDC for perceived delays in public alerts and in pinpointing the source of infections linked to an iceberg lettuce supply. The government’s response is complicated by the cyclospora parasite’s lengthy incubation period, which can hinder rapid attribution. Authorities have tied the current outbreak to iceberg lettuce from central Mexico, some of which was distributed by Taylor Farms and served at restaurants operated by Yum Brands’ Taco Bell, according to testimony and agency statements.
The FDA has concluded that the present outbreak is linked to this iceberg lettuce, and Taylor Farms has recalled the implicated produce while Taco Bell has pulled the item from its menus. In the wake of the confusion raised by an initial false-positive test during the investigation, the FDA issued a clarification to explain that the test result did not alter the working assessment of the source. Public health officials across multiple states have continued investigations that began with illnesses first appearing on May 13, 2026, with thousands of cases subsequently reported.
Kennedy defended the administration’s handling by arguing that there were no cuts to surveillance programs, even as he conceded that the FoodNet system faced adjustments in certain components due to funding decisions. FoodNet, a partnership among the CDC, FDA, ten state health departments, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is designed to monitor foodborne illnesses, though it has scaled back mandatory reporting for several pathogens, including cyclospora, in recent years.
As recounted by health authorities, more than 1,644 cases have been reported, with 94 hospitalizations and no fatalities, highlighting the ongoing burden of the outbreak on public health and the importance of continued vigilance in food safety monitoring and supply-chain oversight. The CDC, FDA, and state officials continue to track the spread of the illness and to verify the effectiveness of recalls and other containment measures, as investigations remain active across several jurisdictions.
