Federal health officials are investigating a new outbreak of cyclosporiasis, with the number of cases of the parasitic intestinal illness already at a record high in the U.S. and growing.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting more than 11,000 cases across 41 states.
The initial outbreak has been linked to iceberg lettuce, believed to have come from a farm in central Mexico. Now, the Food and Drug Administration has initiated a traceback effort to identify the source of a second wave of the sickness, characterized by severe nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
At least 72 cases have been tied to the new, unidentified source — just days after Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. declared the cyclospora outbreak was "under control."
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The White House has pushed back on questions about whether funding cuts have slowed response and tracing efforts.
"We've talked to the CDC and FDA specifically about that, and not at all. They have the resources they need to make sure that Americans are fully informed and protected from this illness during this time," said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Annual peak infections from the cyclospora parasite traditionally continue through August.
