Information Launch
April 1, 2022
Oysters from Bay 14-8 linked to norovirus outbreak that sickened 29 Minnesotans
Well being officers are warning shoppers to not eat uncooked oysters harvested from a selected bay in British Columbia, Canada, after linking norovirus diseases to those oysters.
The Minnesota Division of Well being, Hennepin County Public Well being, and the Minnesota Division of Agriculture are working with federal officers and public well being businesses in different states and Canada to analyze norovirus diseases related to oysters harvested from Bay 14-8 in British Columbia.
Twenty-nine Minnesotans have been sickened on this outbreak. They turned sick with confirmed or suspected norovirus gastroenteritis after consuming uncooked oysters at Travail Kitchen in Robbinsdale on March 20. The oysters served have been Stellar Bay Gold oysters harvested on March 10 from Deep Bay 14-8 CLF #140706 in British Columbia, Canada.
“Travail Kitchen shortly introduced the instances to our consideration, and instantly stopped serving oysters,” stated Duane Hudson, Hennepin County Public Well being, Environmental Well being supervisor. “We’re grateful to Travail for their assist in defending the general public from foodborne diseases.”
Whereas some components of the harvest space have been closed, it’s probably that oysters from this space are nonetheless in {the marketplace}. With that in thoughts, officers are urging eating places and distributors to verify shellstock tags and discard oysters from this harvest space. Customers can ask oyster suppliers or eating places to verify the shellstock tag for the harvest location. Norovirus and different pathogens present in uncooked oysters may be destroyed by cooking to 145 levels Fahrenheit earlier than consuming.
Signs of norovirus sometimes embrace nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or abdomen cramps that start 12 to 48 hours after ingestion of the virus. There may be at present a excessive stage of norovirus sickness exercise in Minnesota, and most shouldn’t be related to consuming oysters.
“Individuals with norovirus can unfold it to others even after signs cease,” MDH Epidemiologist Supervisor Senior Carlota Medus stated. “One of the simplest ways to restrict unfold is to clean your fingers properly with cleaning soap and water after utilizing the lavatory and earlier than getting ready meals for others.”
-MDH-
Media inquiries:
Michael Schommer
MDH Communications
651-373-8271
michael.schommer@state.mn.us
