Authorities in the British Virgin Islands have issued a warning after a surge in Ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP) within the past few weeks.
Cases until the week of June 6 were sporadic, but within three weeks there have been eight confirmed infections with other suspected cases also being investigated.
National Epidemiologist Harmony Massiah said CFP is not uncommon in tropical and sub-tropical areas and is mainly associated with consumption of big coral reef fish like snapper, bass and perch that have accumulated ciguatoxin in the body.
Larger fish will have higher amounts of the toxin. Contaminated fish cannot be identified by appearance and the toxin cannot be destroyed by cooking or freezing.
FoodWorld 