The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have announced a new Salmonella outbreak linked to raw oysters harvested by the Little Wicomico Oyster Company from the Little Wicomico River harvest area in Virginia. So far at least 27 people in 12 states have been sickened in the outbreak, with five people hospitalized and no deaths reported.
Pennsylvania has had the most illnesses, with eight, followed by New York with four and Virginia with three, according to the CDC. The agencies are advising consumers, restaurants and retailers not to eat, sell or serve the implicated raw oysters while the investigation continues.
The outbreak is a reminder of the particular risks of raw shellfish, which can concentrate bacteria from their harvesting waters. Federal officials are working with state health departments to trace additional cases and determine the full scope of distribution from the Virginia harvest area.
Health authorities urge anyone who recently ate raw oysters and developed symptoms such as diarrhoea, fever and stomach cramps to contact a healthcare provider. The FDA said it would update its advisory as more information becomes available from the ongoing traceback investigation.
The outbreak is a reminder of the particular risks of raw shellfish, which can concentrate bacteria from their harvesting waters. People who eat raw oysters are at higher risk of foodborne illness, and health officials stress that cooking oysters thoroughly kills harmful bacteria. The FDA said its advisory would be updated as the traceback investigation identifies additional distribution points.
Anyone who recently ate raw oysters and developed symptoms such as diarrhoea, fever, vomiting or stomach cramps should contact a healthcare provider, the CDC advises. Federal and state officials are continuing to interview patients and test product samples to determine whether the contamination is limited to the Little Wicomico River harvest area or extends further.