Category Archives: Norovirus

St Kitts and Nevis updates guidance on acute gastro outbreak – Norovirus

Posted on March 31, 2023 by KSW | Leave a comment

St Kitts and Nevis has once again addressed the issue of acute gastroenteritis on island.

The St Kitts and Nevis Information Service (SKNIS) says according to a report from the Chief Medical Officer, over the past few weeks several children and adults in the Federation have been diagnosed with acute gastroenteritis (AGE).

It notes this outbreak of AGE is not unique to St Kitts and Nevis, and that a similar trend is observed in several CARICOM member states.

It is reported the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) has noted a multi-country increase in reported cases of AGE in children and adults and based on epidemiological information, the most likely cause of this AGE multi-country outbreak is Norovirus.

Norovirus was confirmed on more than one of the cruise ships travelling in the Caribbean and the UK Health Security Agency reports a sharp increase in confirmed cases of norovirus in recent weeks.

Norovirus can only be confirmed through laboratory testing.

Samples were sent off to CARPHA for analysis on Monday, March 27, 2023.

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Norovirus, outbreak

RASFF Alerts – Norovirus – French Oysters

Posted on March 31, 2023 by KSW | Leave a comment

RASFF

Suspicion of norovirus in oysters from France in Sweden

RASFF

Norovirus in oysters from France in Italy

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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, Norovirus Oysters, RASFF

RASFF Alerts – Norovirus – Oysters – Truffles

Posted on March 24, 2023 by KSW | Leave a comment

RASFF

Suspicion of norovirus in oysters from France in Sweden and Finland

RASFF

Norovirus (GII/2g) in truffles (venus verrucosa) from Croatia in Italy

RASFF

Norovirus in oysters from France in Austria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom

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EU – Oysters linked to 170 illnesses in Finland; people sick in other countries – Norovirus

Posted on March 22, 2023 by KSW | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

french oysters

Contaminated shellfish are continuing to cause illnesses in several European countries and Hong Kong.

At least 170 people have fallen ill in Helsinki, Finland, after eating oysters in various restaurants in February and March. Cases have also been reported in other Finnish cities.

Norovirus has been found in nine different oyster batches with two from the Netherlands, six from France, and one from Ireland. Importers have withdrawn affected batches from the market.

Officials have tested food from restaurants and taken patient samples, finding norovirus. Some of those sick reported eating oysters.

A report on the outbreak is being prepared for the Finnish Food Authority (Ruokavirasto) and the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).

Norovirus is the most commonly identified cause of foodborne outbreaks in Finland. Between 2017 and 2021, oysters caused 11 norovirus outbreaks in which more than 110 people fell ill.

Finland has published four Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) alerts on food poisoning due to norovirus in oysters since late February.

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, 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

USA – Elementary school closes as Norovirus sickens 136 students and staff

Posted on March 20, 2023 by KSW | Leave a comment

ABC News

California health officials have shut down an elementary school in Long Beach after at least 136 students and staff reported symptoms of norovirus as of Thursday, according to the city’s health department.

“Despite stringent control measures, there has been evidence of ongoing transmission and, as a result, the school will be temporarily closed until Wednesday so that deep cleaning — an outbreak management strategy — can be thoroughly conducted,” the Long Beach Health Department told ABC News.

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Posted in food bourne outbreak, Food Illness, Foodborne Illness, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Illness, Norovirus, outbreak

RASFF Alerts – Norovirus – French Oysters

Posted on March 17, 2023 by KSW | Leave a comment

RASFF

Norovirus in oysters from France via Netherlands in Finland

RASFF

Norovirus in shelled oysters from France in Italy

RASFF

Detection of norovirus genogroups I and II in oyster from France in Spain and Andorra

RASFF

Norovirus in oysters from France in Finland

RASFF

Detection of norovirus genogroup II in oyster from France in Spain

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South Korea – S. Korea sees dramatic surge in food poisoning cases this winter

Posted on March 14, 2023 by KSW | Leave a comment

Korea Herald

The number of food poisoning cases involving raw oysters has surged dramatically this winter compared to last year.

According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on Tuesday, a total of 524 cases of food poisoning due to raw oysters were reported between November 2022 and February 2023. This figure is an eightfold increase compared to the same period between 2021 and 2022, which only had 68 cases.

Oysters are rich in minerals and vitamins but can be one of the main sources of the norovirus, which is more common in winter.

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Posted in 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, Norovirus, Norovirus Oysters

USA – 300 passengers and crew fall ill on Ruby Princess cruise from Texas – Norovirus?

Posted on March 10, 2023 by KSW | Leave a comment

Washington Post

More than 300 passengers and crew on the Ruby Princess contracted a gastrointestinal illness causing vomiting and diarrhea, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said this week.

The Princess Cruises voyage carrying about 4,000 people ran from Feb. 26 to Sunday in the western Caribbean and docked in Galveston, Tex.

While the CDC has not listed a specific virus, Princess Cruises said in a statement the cause was likely norovirus.

About 10 percent of the passengers and 3 percent of the crew onboard were sick, according to the CDC.