A norovirus outbreak is linked to oysters from Texas. The FDA is warning consumers not to eat raw or partially cooked oysters harvested from Copano Bay in Aransas County, Texas, that were harvested between December 26, 2013 and January 9, 2014 because they may contain norovirus. The Texas Department of State Health Services closed the Bay to shellfish harvesting on January 9, 2014.
Six norovirus illnesses in Louisiana have been linked to oysters harvested from that Bay and shipped by Alby’s Seafood of Fulton, Texas. A recall of the oysters harvested on December 26, 2013 has been issued, but other shellfish harvested from Copano Bay before it was closed may still be in the marketplace.
All shellfish dealers, restaurants, retail food establishments, and consumers are advised to check identity tags on all containers of shellfish in their inventories. If the tag indicates that the oysters were harvested from Copano Bay between those dates above, discard them. There is no distribution information for shellfish harvested from that Bay aside from Alby’s Seafood. The Texas Department of State Health Services is working with the FDA to get that list.
