A Seattle oyster Vibrio outbreak is associated with eight restaurants in that Washington city, according to a notice posted on the King County Public Health website. The meal dates for these illnesses range from June 28, 2021 to July 17, 2021. A least 12 people are sick.
The restaurants are: The CrabPot at 1301 Alaskan Way; Crawfish King at 701 8th Avenue South, Damn the Weather at 116 1st Avenue South; Salty’s on Alki at 1936 Harbor Avenue Southwest; Taylor Shellfish at 1521 Melrose Avenue; Emmett Watson’s Oyster Bar at 1916 Pike Place; Walrus and Carpenter at 4743 Ballard Avenue Northwest #1b; and White Swan Public House at 1001 Fairview Avenue North. All of these restaurants are located in Seattle.
The case count by restaurant is: The Crabpot (4), Crawfish King (1), Damn the Weather (1), Salty’s on Alki (1), Taylor Shellfish (1), Emmett Watson’s Oyster Bar (1)< Walrus and Carpenter (1), and White Swan Public House (2).
Oysters are a common source of Vibrio parahaemolyticus, a bacteria that occurs naturally in marine waters. Its numbers increase during warm weather. Outbreaks of vibriosis typically occur in the summer months.
Raw seafood should always be thoroughly cooked before eating. Don’t eat raw or undercooked oysters or other shellfish. Vibrio bacteria are killed when shellfish is cooked to 145°F and that temperature is held for 15 seconds. Most shellfish cooking instructions tell you to cook until the shells open, but the safe cooking temperature is only reached a few minutes later. Using a reliable and accurate food thermometer is the only way to tell if shellfish has been safely cooked.
Symptoms of vibriosis include fever, chills, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, and vomiting. Patients are usually sick for a few hours or a few days. Most people get sick within one day. Anyone with a weakened immune system or liver disease is at higher risk for these infections. If you have eaten raw or undercooked oysters and have been sick, especially if you ate at one of the above restaurants, see your doctor. You may be part of this Seattle oyster vibrio outbreak.
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