Category Archives: Norovirus Oysters

FDA

March 14, 2024

Audience

• Restaurants and food retailers in Connecticut (CT), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Maine (ME), Maryland (MD), Massachusetts (MA), Minnesota (MN), New Jersey (NJ), Ohio (OH), Rhode Island (RI), South Carolina (SC) and Texas (TX) that have recently purchased oysters from Norm Bloom and Son (CT-069-SS, AQ), harvested from Westport, CT, lot 207, with the harvest date 2/20/2024.
• Consumers in CT, FL, GA, MA, MD, ME, MN, NJ, OH, RI, SC, and TX who have recently purchased oysters from Norm Bloom and Son (CT-069-SS, AQ), harvested from Westport, CT, lot 207, with the harvest date 2/20/2024.

Product

Recalled oysters are from Norm Bloom and Son (CT-069-SS, AQ), harvested from Westport, CT, lot 207, with the harvest date 2/20/2024. The oysters were distributed to restaurants and retailers in CT, FL, GA, MA, MD, ME, MN, NJ, OH, RI, SC, and TX, and may have been distributed to other states as well.

Purpose

The FDA is notifying restaurants, food retailers, and consumers that the Connecticut Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Aquaculture is conducting a recall of oysters harvested by Norm Bloom and Son (CT-069-SS, AQ) from Westport, CT, lot 207, with the harvest date 2/20/2024, because they are associated with a norovirus outbreak in Minnesota and may be contaminated with norovirus. The FDA is advising restaurants and food retailers not to serve or sell and consumers not to eat the recalled oysters.

Shellfish contaminated with norovirus can cause illness if eaten, and potentially severe illness in people with compromised immune systems. Food containing norovirus may look, smell, and taste normal. Consumers of these products who are experiencing symptoms of illness should contact their healthcare provider and report their symptoms to their local Health Department. Diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, and fever may be associated with gastroenteritis infections caused by this organism.

Symptoms of Norovirus

People of all ages can get infected and sick with norovirus. The most common symptoms of norovirus are diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and stomach pain. Other symptoms include fever, headache, and body ache.

A person usually develops symptoms 12 to 48 hours after being exposed to norovirus. Most people with norovirus illness get better within 1 to 3 days.

If you have norovirus illness, you can feel extremely ill, and vomit or have diarrhea many times a day. This can lead to dehydration, especially in young children, older adults, and people with other illnesses. Symptoms of dehydration include decrease in urination, dry mouth and throat, and feeling dizzy when standing up. Children who are dehydrated may cry with few or no tears and be unusually sleepy or fussy.

If you think you or someone you are caring for is severely dehydrated, call your healthcare provider

Summary of Problem and Scope

The Connecticut Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Aquaculture is conducting a recall of oysters from Norm Bloom and Son (CT-069-SS, AQ), harvested from Westport, CT, lot 207, with the harvest date 2/20/2024, because they are associated with a norovirus outbreak in Minnesota and may be contaminated with norovirus. The oysters were distributed to restaurants and retailers in CT, FL, GA, MA, MD, ME, MN, NJ, OH, RI, SC, and TX, and may have been distributed to other states as well. The FDA is advising consumers not to eat, and restaurants and food retailers not to sell, and to dispose of these oysters.

Contaminated oysters can cause illness if eaten raw, particularly in people with compromised immune systems. Food contaminated with norovirus may look, smell, and taste normal. Consumers of these products who are experiencing symptoms of norovirus illness should contact their healthcare provider, who should report their symptoms to their local Health Department.