What’s wrong with the oysters? Health warning issued in Florida after illness outbreak
Oysters harvested from a small island city in Florida are associated with a salmonella outbreak that has sickened people in three states, the state’s health agency says.
The Florida Department of Health and the state health departments of Georgia and Alabama have detected eight cases linked with the consumption of raw oysters harvested from Cedar Key, on the northwest coast of Florida.
On Feb. 24, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services shut down the shellfish harvesting area in Cedar Key and recalled the wild oysters collected since Dec. 16, 2022.
Don’t eat the oysters
There’s an elevated risk of getting sick associated with raw oyster consumption, the health agency said, and it warned consumers not to eat the oysters included in the recall.
Eating food contaminated with salmonella can cause salmonellosis, the health agency said. Symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating a contaminated product.
Most people recover without treatment, but in rare circumstances the infection can cause more severe illness and require hospitalization, the health agency noted. Older adults, infants, pregnant women and the immunocompromised iare at higher risk of developing a severe illness and should seek medical attention if symptoms arise.
Recall information
For more information about this recall, visit the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services website at fdacs.gov/Divisions-Offices/Aquaculture.
Where is Cedar Key?
This story was originally published March 1, 2023 at 5:45 AM.
