Category Archives: Food Virus

Canada – Certain Tri-Star Seafood Supply Ltd. brand Live Spot Prawns recalled due to Norovirus

CFIA

Food Borne Illness - Norovirus -CDC Photo

Summary

Product
Certain Live Spot Prawns
Issue
Food – Microbial Contamination – Norovirus
What to do

Do not consume, use, sell, serve, or distribute the recalled product

Affected products

Issue

Tri-Star Seafood Supply Ltd. is recalling certain Tri-Star Seafood Supply Ltd. brand Live Spot Prawns from the marketplace due to possible norovirus contamination.

The recalled product has been sold in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, and Ontario, and may have been distributed in other provinces and territories.

What you should do

  • If you think you became sick from consuming a recalled product, call your doctor
  • Check to see if you have the recalled product in your home or establishment
  • Do not consume the recalled product
  • Do not serve, use, sell, or distribute the recalled product
  • Recalled products should be thrown out or returned to the location where they were purchased
  • Consumers who are unsure if they have purchased the affected product are advised to contact their retailer

People with norovirus illness usually develop symptoms of gastroenteritis within 24 to 48 hours, but symptoms can start as early as 12 hours after exposure. The illness often begins suddenly. Even after having the illness, you can still become re-infected by norovirus. The main symptoms of norovirus illness are diarrhea, vomiting (children usually experience more vomiting than adults), nausea and stomach cramps. Other symptoms may include low-grade fever, headache, chills, muscle aches and fatigue (a general sense of tiredness).  Most people feel better within one or two days, with symptoms resolving on their own, and experience no long-term health effects. As with any illness causing diarrhea or vomiting, people who are ill should drink plenty of liquids to replace lost body fluids and prevent dehydration. In severe cases, patients may need to be hospitalized and given fluids intravenously.

USA – Outbreak Investigation of Hepatitis A Virus: Strawberries (May 2022)

FDA

Hepatitis A kswfoodworld

The FDA, along with CDC, the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, state, and local partners are investigating a multistate outbreak of hepatitis A infections in the United States and Canada potentially linked to fresh organic strawberries branded as FreshKampo and HEB, purchased between March 5, 2022, and April 25, 2022.

Currently, the potentially affected FreshKampo and HEB products are past shelf life. People who purchased FreshKampo and HEB fresh organic strawberries between March 5, 2022, and April 25, 2022, and then froze those strawberries for later consumption should not eat them. These products were sold at the following retailers, including, but not limited to:

  • Aldi
  • HEB
  • Kroger
  • Safeway
  • Sprouts Farmers Market
  • Trader Joe’s
  • Walmart
  • Weis Markets
  • WinCo Foods

If you are unsure of what brand you purchased, when you purchased your strawberries, or where you purchased them from prior to freezing them, the strawberries should be thrown away.

Epidemiologic and traceback data show that fresh organic strawberries  sold as FreshKampo and HEB brands that were purchased between March 5, 2022, and April 25, 2022, are a likely cause of illness in this outbreak. The traceback investigations show that cases in California, Minnesota, and Canada report having purchased fresh organic strawberries branded as FreshKampo or HEB prior to becoming ill. Illness onset dates range from March 28 – April 30, 2022.

As this investigation is ongoing, additional products may be included. More information will be provided in this advisory as it becomes available.

Recommendation

Consumers, restaurants, and retailers should not sell, serve, or eat any fresh organic strawberries branded as FreshKampo or HEB if purchased between March 5, 2022, and April 25, 2022. People who purchased the fresh strawberries and then froze those strawberries for later consumption should not eat them. They should be thrown away. Currently, the potentially affected product is past its shelf life. If you are unsure of what brand you purchased, when you purchased your strawberries, or where you purchased them from prior to freezing them, the strawberries should be thrown away.

If consumers purchased fresh organic strawberries branded as FreshKampo or HEB between March 5, 2022, and April 25, 2022, ate those berries in the last two weeks, and have not been vaccinated against hepatitis A, they should immediately consult with their healthcare professional to determine whether post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is needed. PEP is recommended for unvaccinated people who have been exposed to hepatitis A virus in the last two weeks because vaccination can prevent a hepatitis A infection if given within 14 days of exposure. Those with evidence of previous hepatitis A vaccination or previous hepatitis A infection do not require PEP.

Contact your healthcare provider if you think you may have symptoms of a hepatitis A infection after eating these fresh organic strawberries, or if you believe that you have eaten these strawberries in the last two weeks.

Case Counts

Total U.S. Illnesses: 17
Hospitalizations: 12
Deaths: 0
Last illness onset: April 30, 2022
States with Cases: CA (15), MN (1), ND (1)
Product Distribution: Nationwide

RASFF Alert – Norovirus – Oysters

RASFF

Norovirus in oysters (Crassostrea gigas) from France in Spain

USA – Waterville Country Club’s Nineteen 16 Restaurant link in Hepatitis A scare

Food Poison Journal

The state  of Maine CDC is warning of a possible hepatitis A exposure at an Oakland restaurant.

It says a food service worker had the virus, which can spread through contaminated food or water.

The worker at Waterville Country Club’s Nineteen 16 Restaurant was infectious from April 26-May 17.

If you ate or bought food from the restaurant, you could be at risk.

The state says there is no evidence linking this to a recently confirmed case of hepatitis at the Skowhegan Walmart.

USA – Skowhegan Maine Walmart deli customers at risk for Hepatitis A

Food Poison Journal

Customers who bought food from the deli at the Skowhegan Walmart may have been exposed to hepatitis A.

A deli worker who was ill with hepatitis A handled food while infectious this Monday, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention spokesperson Robert Long said Tuesday.

Anyone who bought food at the deli between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. on May 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19 and 21 and ate it is at risk of contracting the contagious liver disease, according to Long.

Long advised anyone who bought food on those dates from the deli should throw it away. He added that no other food was potentially contaminated.

Quebec – Notice not to consume Mantab brand IQF frozen whole raspberries sold by Boucherie Fruits et Légumes Guiges inc. _ Norovirus

Quebec

IQF Whole Raspberries (CNW Group/Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food)

Hazard Classification:  Class 1
Reference Number:  4554

Source:
Media relations
Direction des communications
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries
and Food
Tel. : 418 380-2100, extension 3512
www.mapaq.gouv.qc.ca

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPAQ), in collaboration with the company named in the table below, advises the population not to consume the product listed in the table below, this food may have been contaminated with norovirus.

This alert is the result of a Canadian Food Inspection Agency food recall involving Mantab brand IQF Whole Raspberries originating from China and distributed to several establishments across Canada .

The product was offered in a frozen state. The product label includes, in addition to its name, the words “Below Zero” and “Mantab”.

Establishment

Product name

Format

Affected lot

Boucherie Fruits et Légumes Guiges inc.

34 Main Street North

Saint Bruno de Guigues

“IQF WHOLE RASPBERRIES”

1kg

Batch #: XT21253

PO| :M14475

BB/MA: 2023-SE-09

The company named in the table above is voluntarily recalling the product in question. It has agreed with MAPAQ to issue this warning as a precautionary measure. In addition, people who have this product in their possession are advised not to consume it. They must return it to the establishment where they bought it or must throw it away.

Even if the product does not show signs of tampering or suspicious odor, it is likely to be contaminated with norovirus. People exposed to this virus usually show symptoms within 24 to 48 hours of consumption. Common symptoms are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramps. Muscle pain, fatigue, fever, chills and headache may also occur. Cases of illness have been reported to MAPAQ and could be associated with the consumption of this food.

RASFF Alert – Norovirus – Oysters

RASFF

Norovirus in oysters from France in Belgium

USA – Luigi’s restaurant in Roanoke Virginia linked to Hepatitis A ill food service worker

Food Poison Journal

Just months ago the Roanoke City and Alleghany Health Districts (RCAHD) announced that RCAHD had identified a total of 50 confirmed primary cases and 2 secondary cases.  There have been at least 31 hospitalizations and unfortunately 4 deaths.

Now the risk of another outbreak is striking the same community.

New details have emerged as part of an ongoing investigation conducted by the Virginia Department of Health. The report involves an employee of Luigi’s restaurant in Roanoke who was recently diagnosed with hepatitis A. New information, obtained today, revealed that the employee may have had limited involvement in handling food prior to the food being cooked before consumption. Cooking food kills the virus that causes hepatitis A, therefore this situation does not meet the criteria of an exposure.

Given the high level of sensitivity of hepatitis A in our community, and out of an abundance of caution, the Roanoke City Health Department is offering hepatitis A vaccine to anyone who ate at Luigi’s between the dates of April 26 – May 17. Hepatitis A vaccinations will be available at the Roanoke City Health Department, 2nd Floor, 1502 Williamson Rd., Roanoke, VA 24012 this week at the following times:

  • Thursday, May 19, 3-6 p.m.
  • Friday, May 20, 8:30 – 11:30 a.m. and 1-4 p.m.

Canada – Below Zero brand Whole Raspberries IQF recalled due to Norovirus

CFIA

Summary

Product
Whole Raspberries IQF
Issue
Food – Microbial Contamination – Norovirus
What to do

Do not use, sell, serve or distribute the affected product.

Audience
Hotels, restaurants and institutions

Affected products

Issue

Below Zero brand Whole Raspberries IQF recalled due to Norovirus.

The recalled product has been sold in Quebec, Saskatchewan and Ontario.

Additional information

Details
Media and public enquiries

 

USA – Seattle IHOP linked to Norovirus

Food Poison Journal

Summary

Public Health is investigating an outbreak of norovirus-like illness associated with vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and chills at IHOP #1755 in Seattle.

Illnesses

Since April 29, 2022, 5 people from 1 meal party reported becoming ill after eating food from IHOP on April 28, 2022. We have not identified any ill employees.