| ■ Norovirus Outbreak Linked to Frozen Oysters From South Korea | 06.12.15 |
| An outbreak of norovirus linked to raw, frozen oysters on the half shell from South Korea is being investigated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and officials in five states. Eight people became sick after eating raw oysters at a private event in Woodburn, Ore. On Dec. 8, the FDA tested oysters from the same production lot as those served at the event and found the oysters were positive for norovirus. The affected oysters were from the Central Fisheries Company in South Korea, and imported by Fortuna Sea Products Inc. of California. The frozen oysters were distributed to proprietors in California, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon and Texas. Fortuna Sea Products issued a recall of the 1,100 cases of frozen oysters that were in the affected lot. Consumers who have frozen oysters on the half shell that they bought between mid-October and early December should contact their retailer to determine if the oysters are from the affected South Korean lot and need to be returned, the FDA said. Norovirus can cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, low-grade fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, and tiredness. Most people show symptoms within 48 hours of exposure to the virus and the illness typically lasts one or two days. |