Dozens have gotten sick from oysters — including in Florida. Publix issues a warning
Oysters harvested in Texas are making dozens of people sick to their stomach in Texas and as far as Florida and Louisiana. Health departments and Publix are warning the public.
The Texas Department of State Health Services recalled oysters, both in shell and shucked, that were harvested in the southeastern Galveston Bay area from Nov. 17 through Dec. 7.
It has caused a few dozen cases of gastrointestinal illness in Texas, Florida and Louisiana among those who’ve eaten them. Symptoms include fever, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, chills and headache. There have been no reports of hospitalization.
It’s unclear where in Florida people have reported feeling sick. In Louisiana, 10 of 19 cases have been linked to the oysters being consumed at restaurants, the state department of health reported.
Consumers who think they’ve purchased Texas oysters since Nov. 17 should check the packaging to see if they were harvested in “TX 1”. If they were unpackaged, contact the seller to find its source, the Texas Department of State Health advises. Restaurants should contact their distributor.
Oysters from “TX 1” should be thrown out.
Publix is cautioning consumers to check the shell on oysters sold in its “live shell on oysters” fresh seafood display case. They would have been marked with a GTIN number of “29697000000” and harvested from Nov. 17 to Dec. 8.
Texas health department epidemiologists are working to investigate cases of illness and testing water samples collected in the recall area.
