Over 200 people have been reported sick after an outbreak of norovirus in multiple states linked to oysters from Texas.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Texas Department of State Health Services and other public health officials are investigating an outbreak of norovirus illnesses that has been linked to oysters out of Texas, according to a news release.
The CDC said as of Dec. 15, 211 illnesses have been reported. The CDC is working with state and local partners to update the number depending on the collected information.
The states that are affected include Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas, according to the CDC.
The FDA is suggesting consumers not to eat the oysters and restaurants and food retailers to not sell oysters that were harvested between Nov. 17 and Dec. 7, 2022. They would have been harvested from TX1, Galveston Bay, Texas.
If you have these oysters, throw them away or return them to where you got them. The CDC recommends you wash and sanitize containers and surfaces that may have been in contact with the virus.
To protect yourself and others from the norovirus, cook oysters and other shellfish thoroughly before eating them, according to the CDC.
“The FDA is awaiting information on further interstate distribution of the oysters and will continue to monitor the investigation and provide assistance to state authorities as needed,” said the FDA in a news release.
Symptoms to look out for include diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and stomach pain, according to the FDA. Other symptoms could include fever, headache and body aches. The FDA says that symptoms develop 12 to 48 hours after exposure to norovirus and most people get better within one to three days.
According to WFLA, Publix on Dec. 9 issued a recall after Texas health officials reported over 40 illnesses at the time. The FDA later confirmed that the oysters were potentially contaminated with norovirus.