The raw oysters Salmonella Telekebir outbreak has ended with 80 people sick in 23 states and 34 people hospitalized, according to the CDC. This outbreak ending was reported in February 2026. No recall of the oysters was issued.
The case count by state is: Arizona (3), California (3), Colorado (3), Connecticut (2), Delaware (4), Florida (5), Georgia (5), Illinois (2), Iowa (1), Kentucky (1), Maine (1), Massachusetts (4), Maryland (3), Missouri (1), New Jersey (7), New York (10), North Carolina (1), Pennsylvania (11), South Carolina (3), South Dakota (1), Tennessee (1), Texas (2), and Virginia (6). Illness onset dates range from June 21, 2025 to December 22, 2025. And the patient age range is from 1 to 76 years.
The true number of people sick in this outbreak is likely much higher than 80. That’s because many people who get sick with Salmonella infections do not see their doctors and recover without medical care.
There were 34 people hospitalized, out of 68 people who gave information to public health officials. That is a hospitalization rate of 50%, much higher than the typical hospitalization rate for a Salmonella outbreak of 20%. It may be that the oysters were heavily contaminated with the pathogen, or it may have been a more virulent strain.
Of the 43 people interviewed by public health officials, 26, or 60%, said they ate raw oysters. That percentage is significantly higher than the 1.6% of respondents who reported eating raw oysters during the same time period in the FoodNet Population Survey. And whole genome sequencing showed that bacteria from patient isolates were closely related genetically, which means that people likely got sick from eating the same food.
Traceback ws conducted to try to identify the source of the oysters. No single common source was determined from the available information.
Eating raw oysters is risky for everyone, but especially for those in high risk groups, which include the very young, the elderly, pregnant women, people with chronic illnesses, and those with compromised immune systems.
If you have been sickened with a food poisoning infection, please contact our experienced attorneys for help with a possible lawsuit at 1-888-377-8900 or text us at 612-261-0856. Our firm represents clients in lawsuits against grocery stores, restaurants, and food processors.
