Health Department warns of raw oysters linked to norovirus
COURTESY HAWAII DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
COURTESY HAWAII DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
The Hawaii Department of Health has issued an alert regarding raw oysters shipped from Dai One Food Co. Ltd. of Korea, which may potentially be contaminated with norovirus.
Health officials have issued an alert regarding raw oysters from Korea that may potentially be contaminated with norovirus.
The Hawaii Department of Health has notified the U.S. Food and Drug Administration of five illnesses from individuals who consumed raw oyster shooters at a Hawaii restaurant on May 10.
According to officials, traceback information revealed the source of the oysters to be a shipment from Dai One Food Co., Ltd., Republic of Korea. Samples were sent to the FDA to be tested.
On Monday, the FDA confirmed the detection of norovirus GII in one of the two samples collected.
The FDA has issued an alert, advising consumers not to eat, and restaurants and retailers not to sell, certain oysters from Dai One Food Ltd. as well as Central Fisheries Co. Ltd. in the Republic of Korea due to possible norovirus GII contamination.
According to the FDA, Dai One Food Co. Ltd. has voluntarily recalled frozen raw half-shell oysters, frozen individual quick-freezing raw oysters, and frozen oyster blocks harvested between Feb. 10 and 24, 2022 and April 6 and 21, 2022.
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The lot numbers affected: D021031, D021041 and D020481.
The Minnesota Department of Health has also notified the FDA of five norovirus illnesses in individuals who consumed raw oysters at a restaurant there on June 3 and 4, also traced back to a shipment by Dai One Food Co. Ltd.
Norovirus is a very contagious virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea.
The most common symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, nausea and stomach pain. Some people may also experience fever, headache and body aches.
Most people infected with norovirus begin to develop symptoms 12 to 48 hours after infection, which is more frequent in children under age 5 than adults. Symptoms usually last one to four days.
Consumers who recently ate raw oysters and suspect they have food poisoning should seek medical care immediately, especially those who are pregnant, elderly, or have weakened immune systems.
Restaurants and retailers should not sell the potentially affected raw oysters and, instead, dispose of them. Businesses should take measures to avoid cross-contamination by cleaning and sanitizing cutting surfaces, utensils, containers and food processing equipment.
Regular and frequent cleaning and sanitizing of food contact surfaces and utensils used in food preparation may help to minimize the likelihood of cross-contamination, DOH said.
