As vacation-starved Americans return to cruise ships in record numbers, the surge in popularity has led to an increase in norovirus incidents on board. With occupancy rates at around 100% capacity, cruise lines like Royal Caribbean Group have reported a significant rebound in the first quarter of 2023. However, this resurgence has come with a downside, as 13 outbreaks of the highly contagious norovirus, also known as the ‘cruise ship virus,’ have been reported this year alone, marking the highest number since 2012 and emphasizing the potential health risks associated with large numbers of passengers on board.
Category Archives: Norovirus
USA – Minnesota Norovirus cases linked to Korean Oysters
Health officials are warning consumers not to eat certain raw oysters harvested in Republic of Korea (ROK) due to possible norovirus contamination. The alert from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) includes the following oysters:
Frozen raw oysters, in half shell, Individual Quick Freezing (IQF), and block form, harvested between 2/10/2022 and 2/24/2022 and between 4/06/2022 and 4/21/2022 from Designated Area No. II, and exported by Dai One Food Co., Ltd. (KR-8-SP), and Central Fisheries Co., Ltd. (KR-6-SP), in Republic of Korea (ROK). More information can be found in the FDA advisory.
Posted in food bourne outbreak, food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, Norovirus, Norovirus Oysters, outbreak
Quebec – Notice not to consume New Alasko brand frozen whole raspberries sold by Chez Gaby grocery store – Norovirus
QUEBEC CITY , June 22, 2023 /CNW/ – The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPAQ), in collaboration with the Chez Gaby grocery store , located at 925, rue Commerciale Nord, in Témiscouata-sur- le-Lac, warns the population not to consume the product indicated in the table below, because this food may have been contaminated by a norovirus.
This warning stems from a Canadian Food Inspection Agency food recall involving New Alasko brand frozen whole raspberries that originated in China and were distributed to several establishments across Canada . The lot affected by the recall is as follows:
Lot No. HL22227 PO
: 121007-01
BB/MA: 2024 AUG 15
|
Product name |
Format |
Affected lot |
|
“FROZEN WHOLE RASPBERRIES” |
1KG |
Units sold until June 21, 2023 |
The products that are the subject of this warning were offered for sale until June 21, 2023, and this, only at the establishment designated above. The product was packaged in a transparent plastic bag and sold in a frozen state. The product packaging included, in addition to its name, the words “PREPARED FOR NEW ALASKO LP”.
The operator 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 throw it away.
Even if the product does not show signs of tampering or a suspicious smell, it could be contaminated with norovirus and make those who consume it sick. Generally, the possible symptoms are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramps. Muscle pain, fatigue, fever, chills and headache may also occur. People exposed to norovirus usually show these symptoms within 24 to 48 hours of eating contaminated food.
It should be noted that several cases of illness associated with the consumption of this food have been reported to MAPAQ to date.
Posted in food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, Norovirus
France sees a rise in outbreaks in 2021
The number of outbreaks in France went up in 2021 but was still below 2018 and 2019 levels.
Figures from Santé publique France show there were 1,309 outbreaks affecting 11,056 people in 2021. A total of 512 people went to hospitals and 16 died.
Reported outbreaks rose from 1,010 in 2020 when figures were strongly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to officials.
For 327 incidents in 2021, a pathogen could be microbiologically confirmed in food or in at least one sick person per outbreak. A pathogen was suspected without microbiological confirmation for 734 outbreaks.
16 deaths in outbreaks
The most frequently microbiologically confirmed pathogen was Salmonella 147 times. It was mostly Salmonella Enteritidis, followed by monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium but the type was not known in 92 incidents. Confirmed Salmonella outbreaks were responsible for 935 patients and 166 hospitalizations.
Campylobacter caused 52 outbreaks with 178 patients and Bacillus cereus had 46 with 665 patients. Nineteen norovirus outbreaks sickened 493 and 11 histamine outbreaks affected 35 people.
Seven outbreaks were due to E. coli, six to Yersinia enterocolitica, four to Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), and one each because of Listeria monocytogenes, Clostridium botulinum, and Shigella.
The pathogen was identified in patients for 208 outbreaks, of which 143 were confirmed with Salmonella. Identification of the agent took place in food samples for 89 epidemics with 67 confirmed as Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium perfringens.
The top suspected pathogens based on epidemiological and clinical information, but not microbiologically confirmed, were the toxins Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium perfringens. For these three pathogens, 3,787 patients and 169 hospital trips were recorded.
USA – Norovirus Outbreak linked to Oyster Shooters in Hawaii
The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) Food Safety Branch is issuing an alert regarding raw oysters exported from Dai One Food Co., Ltd., Republic of Korea (ROK), which may be potentially contaminated with norovirus.
DOH notified the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of five illnesses from individuals who consumed raw oyster shooters at a restaurant in Hawai‘i on May 10, 2023. Trace-back information revealed the source for the implicated raw oysters was from a shipment by Dai One Food Co., Ltd., ROK. Samples collected were sent to the FDA to be tested for the presence of norovirus. The FDA released its findings on June 12, 2023, confirming that norovirus GII was detected in one of the two samples collected.
Dai One Food Co. Ltd. has voluntarily recalled Individual Quick Freezing (IQF) raw oysters, harvested between February 2 and 4, 2022 and April 13 and 14, 2022, that were shipped from the ROK and distributed to restaurants and retailers in Hawai‘i, Georgia and Minnesota. The lot numbers affected are: D021031, D021041, and D020481.
Posted in Decontamination Microbial, food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Norovirus, Norovirus Oysters, outbreak
Canada – Sélection du Pâtissier brand Framboisier Cake and WOW! Factor Desserts brand Berry Burst Slab Cake recalled due to norovirus contamination of raspberries used in these products
Summary
Product
Framboisier Cake, Berry Burst Slab Cake
Issue
Food – Microbial Contamination – Norovirus
What to do
Do not consume, use, sell, serve, or distribute recalled products
Affected products
Issue
The affected products are being recalled from the marketplace due to possible norovirus contamination of the raspberries used in these products.
The recalled products have been sold nationally.
What you should do
- If you think you became sick from consuming a recalled product, contact your healthcare provider
- Check to see if you have recalled products
- Do not consume, serve, use, sell, or distribute recalled products
- Recalled products should be thrown out or returned to the location where they were purchased
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.
Posted in CFIA, food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, Food Virus, Norovirus
Canada – Alasko brand IQF Antioxidant Blend recalled due to Norovirus
Summary
Product
IQF Antioxidant Blend
Issue
Food – Microbial Contamination – Norovirus
What to do
Do not consume, use, sell, serve or distribute recalled products
Affected products
Issue
The affected products are being recalled from the marketplace due to possible norovirus contamination.
The recalled products have been sold in Ontario and Quebec, 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, contact your healthcare provider
- Check to see if you have recalled products
- Do not consume, serve, use, sell, or distribute recalled products
- Recalled products should be thrown out or returned to the location where they were purchased
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.
Posted in CFIA, food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, Norovirus
USA – Foodborne Illness Outbreaks at Retail Food Establishments — National Environmental Assessment Reporting System, 25 State and Local Health Departments, 2017–2019
Abstract
Problem/Condition: Each year, state and local public health departments report hundreds of foodborne illness outbreaks associated with retail food establishments (e.g., restaurants or caterers) to CDC. Typically, investigations involve epidemiology, laboratory, and environmental health components. Health departments voluntarily report epidemiologic and laboratory data from their foodborne illness outbreak investigations to CDC through the National Outbreak Reporting System (NORS); however, minimal environmental health data from outbreak investigations are reported to NORS. This report summarizes environmental health data collected during outbreak investigations and reported to the National Environmental Assessment Reporting System (NEARS).
Period Covered: 2017–2019.
Description of System: In 2014, CDC launched NEARS to complement NORS surveillance and to use these data to enhance prevention efforts. State and local health departments voluntarily enter data from their foodborne illness outbreak investigations of retail food establishments into NEARS. These data include characteristics of foodborne illness outbreaks (e.g., etiologic agent and factors contributing to the outbreak), characteristics of establishments with outbreaks (e.g., number of meals served daily), and food safety policies in these establishments (e.g., ill worker policy requirements). NEARS is the only available data source that collects environmental characteristics of retail establishments with foodborne illness outbreaks.
Results: During 2017–2019, a total of 800 foodborne illness outbreaks associated with 875 retail food establishments were reported to NEARS by 25 state and local health departments. Among outbreaks with a confirmed or suspected agent (555 of 800 [69.4%]), the most common pathogens were norovirus and Salmonella, accounting for 47.0% and 18.6% of outbreaks, respectively. Contributing factors were identified in 62.5% of outbreaks. Approximately 40% of outbreaks with identified contributing factors had at least one reported factor associated with food contamination by an ill or infectious food worker. Investigators conducted an interview with an establishment manager in 679 (84.9%) outbreaks. Of the 725 managers interviewed, most (91.7%) said their establishment had a policy requiring food workers to notify their manager when they were ill, and 66.0% also said these policies were written. Only 23.0% said their policy listed all five illness symptoms workers needed to notify managers about (i.e., vomiting, diarrhea, jaundice, sore throat with fever, and lesion with pus). Most (85.5%) said that their establishment had a policy restricting or excluding ill workers from working, and 62.4% said these policies were written. Only 17.8% said their policy listed all five illness symptoms that would require restriction or exclusion from work. Only 16.1% of establishments with outbreaks had policies addressing all four components relating to ill or infectious workers (i.e., policy requires workers to notify a manager when they are ill, policy specifies all five illness symptoms workers need to notify managers about, policy restricts or excludes ill workers from working, and policy specifies all five illness symptoms requiring restriction or exclusion from work).
Interpretation: Norovirus was the most commonly identified cause of outbreaks reported to NEARS, and contamination of food by ill or infectious food workers contributed to approximately 40% of outbreaks with identified contributing factors. These findings are consistent with findings from other national outbreak data sets and highlight the role of ill workers in foodborne illness outbreaks. Although a majority of managers reported their establishment had an ill worker policy, often these policies were missing components intended to reduce foodborne illness risk. Contamination of food by ill or infectious food workers is an important cause of outbreaks; therefore, the content and enforcement of existing policies might need to be re-examined and refined.
Public Health Action: Retail food establishments can reduce viral foodborne illness outbreaks by protecting food from contamination through proper hand hygiene and excluding ill or infectious workers from working. Development and implementation of policies that prevent contamination of food by workers are important to foodborne outbreak reduction. NEARS data can help identify gaps in food safety policies and practices, particularly those concerning ill workers. Future analyses of stratified data linking specific outbreak agents and foods with outbreak contributing factors can help guide the development of effective prevention approaches by describing how establishments’ characteristics and food safety policies and practices relate to foodborne illness outbreaks.
Posted in CDC, Decontamination Microbial, food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Norovirus, outbreak, Pathogen, pathogenic, Salmonella
Research – Cruise Ship Illness Cases Surpass 2019 Levels – What It Means
Recorded outbreaks of gastrointestinal illnesses have been reported aboard 12 cruises so far in 2023, already surpassing the total number of outbreaks in 2019, the last year of full data available. Does this mean that cruises have become unhealthier or at higher risk for such outbreaks?
12 Outbreaks in Less Than 5 Months
Only five months into 2023, a dozen outbreaks of gastrointestinal illnesses aboard cruise ships have been reported to the Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Posted in Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, gastroenteritis, Gastrointestinal Infection, GI, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Norovirus
USA – Norovirus outbreak linked to California restaurant sickens nearly 100
A norovirus outbreak originating from a California restaurant has sickened about 100 people, according to the San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department.
Jessie Burmester, an epidemiologist from the health department, told KSBY news that 97 cases have been confirmed in connection with the outbreak earlier this month. While Burmester did not disclose the name of the restaurant involved, she revealed that the investigations consistently pointed to the same establishment.
“Our primary objective during investigations is to identify a common source or exposure point,” Burmester said. “Thus far, all individuals reporting illness have consistently provided the name of the restaurant.”
Posted in food bourne outbreak, food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, Food Virus, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, Norovirus, outbreak
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