RFK Jr. says parasitic cyclosporiasis outbreak 'under control,' as more than 11,000 cases reported

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said that the cyclosporiasis outbreak was under control" as the investigation into the source of the illness continues. 

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday said that there have been more than 11,500 cases of the illness in 41 states, ABC News reported. 

The Food and Drug Administration had linked the outbreak to shredded iceberg lettuce from a Taylor Farms facility in central Mexico, but later walked back the claims, saying they were the result of a false positive. 

However, Kennedy said on Tuesday that a source was identified, while FDA Commissioner Kyle Diamantas told Fox News that the data "strongly supports" lettuce from Taylor Farms as the source. 

The parasite cyclospora is difficult to trace. Scientists must use highly sensitive tests to detect it in food. Symptoms also take weeks to show up in people who have eaten contaminated food, making it difficult to trace cases back to the food that was eaten, NBC News reported.