A norovirus outbreak linked to Fortune raw oysters harvested from Nova Scotia, Canada has prompted the FDA to issue an alert. Restaurants and food retailers that have received shipments of these oysters that were distributed by Bill and Stanley Oyster Company of Nova Scotia should not sell or serve them. The oysters were harvested from NS 10, an oyster harvest area in Nova Scotia, on June 9, 2023.
The oysters were distributed to these 17 states and the District of Columbia: California, Colorado, Connecticut, DC, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin. The Fortune raw oysters containers have the harvest area information and original shipper certification number NS 6024 SS WS on the attached product tag.
Any establishment or consumer who purchased oysters after June 9, 2023 should check the packaging to see if they have these oysters. If so, throw them away in a sealed container, or return them to the place of purchase.
Contaminated shellfish can cause illness if eaten raw. People with compromised immune systems or other health conditions are most at risk for serious complications.
Food contaminated with norovirus will look, smell, and taste normal, and the texture will not be affected. The virus causes gastrointestinal symptoms of nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Own June 30, 2023, the Minnesota Department of Health notified the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about a norovirus outbreak. Nine people in the state were sickened after allegedly eating oysters from Nova Scotia. The oysters were also sold in Canada. The FDA is working with authorities to investigate this outbreak.
Symptoms of norovirus usually occur 12 to 48 hours after infection. Most people recover without medical treatment, but some, especially the elderly, young children, and anyone with a chronic illness, can get sick enough to require hospitalization because of dehydration. 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 sleep or fussy.
