Warren demands answers from RFK Jr. on 'calamitous' cyclosporiasis outbreak response

Warren said the admin's "handling of this crisis has been marred by missteps." Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren wrote a letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. seeking more information about what she called the administration's "calamitous" response to the cyclosporiasis outbreak and expressing concern that politics could be to blame. "I write regarding the administration's calamitous response to the biggest outbreak of cyclosporiasis in U.S. history, and the extent to which the outbreak and botched response may be the result of incompetence and corruption. As Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), you are responsible for overseeing the federal government's response to this outbreak. Yet, the administration's handling of this crisis has been marred by missteps that raise serious questions about its decision-making," Warren wrote in the letter.

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Scoop News DeskU.S · Published Friday, August 14, 2026 at 7:02 PM UTCUpdated Sunday, August 16, 2026 at 12:31 PM UTC

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Nationwide, there are now at least 24,000 cases of confirmed or suspected cyclosporiasis across 47 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Two people have died from the parasitic gastrointestinal illness and at least 740 people have been hospitalized. The letter also raises concerns that the White House may have worked with Taylor Farms to delay warnings to the public about the tainted food supply.

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