FDA warns about norovirus-contaminated Canadian oysters in the US

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning about raw oysters from Canada involved in a norovirus outbreak that has sickened nearly 300 Canadians.

Potentially contaminated raw oysters harvested in the south and central parts of Baynes Sound, British Columbia, Canada, were distributed to restaurants and retailers in the U.S. states of California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Texas, and Washington, the FDA said in a press release.

“It is possible that additional states received these oysters through further distribution within the U.S.,” the FDA said.

There have been several recalls and certain shellfish-harvesting areas in British Columbia have been closed due to 279 cases of norovirus and gastrointestinal illness linked to consuming B.C. oysters, the Public Health Agency of Canada said in a press release.

The recall has affected Stellar Bay Shellfish, Pacific Rim Shellfish, Daily Fresh Shellfish, and Taylor Shellfish Canada ULC, doing business as Fanny Bay Oysters. Illnesses have been reported in B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario from mid-January through late March. No deaths have been reported, the agency said.

The FDA and health agencies in several U.S. states are conducting a trace-forward investigation to determine where the raw oysters were distributed and to ensure they’re removed from the food supply.

Retailers should not serve raw oysters harvested from the following harvest locations within Baynes Sound: #1407063, #1411206, #278737 in BC 14-8 and #1400036, in BC 14-15. “Baynes Sound” will show on product tags as “14-8”and/or “DEEP BAY”, or “14-15,” the FDA said.

Photo courtesy of U.S. Food and Drug Administration