Norovirus outbreak in UK and Hong Kong linked to oysters

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People are sick in the UK and Hong Kong after eating oysters contaminated with norovirus.

Reports suggest at least 100 people are sick in the UK, including 12 cases in Hong Kong from raw oysters produced by the Whitstable Oyster Company in the UK.

Specialists from Public Health England (PHE), the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and environmental health teams from Thanet and Canterbury in England are investigating reports of people falling ill with vomiting and diarrhea after eating oysters late May and early June.

We support PHE and local authority investigations into a suspected norovirus outbreak and we reiterate our advice to consumers that they should be aware of the risks of eating raw oysters. Seniors, pregnant women, very young children, and people with weakened immune systems should avoid eating raw or lightly cooked shellfish to reduce their risk of food poisoning, an FSA statement said.

The oyster farm and the affected lots have been identified, the supplied companies have been informed and the tests are in progress.

Whitstable Oyster Company has stopped harvesting, no other oysters have been distributed since the disease emerged and those distributed before the company knew about the outbreak have been taken off the market. All oysters sent for sale have now passed their shelf life, so there is no longer a known risk to consumers.

Risk factors for shellfish-related noroviruses include cold resulting in low water temperatures, high prevalence of norovirus in the community, and high rainfall which can lead to sewer overflows.

Situation in Hong Kong The Center for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department of Hong Kong has asked traders to suspend the importation of raw oysters produced by the company and restaurants to stop selling the affected products.

A spokesperson said that regardless of the season or region in which oysters are harvested, consuming them, especially raw or partially cooked, carries a risk to food security.

“The CFS has been informed by the Health Protection Center of the Department of Health of several cases of food poisoning involving the consumption of raw oysters at a restaurant in Sha Tin and a restaurant in Causeway Bay,” he said. he declares.

The CFS investigated the affected restaurants and found that both restaurants had sold raw oysters from the Whitstable Oyster Company in the UK supplied by the same local supplier. In addition, the CFS received a notice from the Food Standards Agency indicating that raw oysters supplied by the Whitstable Oyster Company were suspected of being contaminated with norovirus.

Two men and a woman, aged 28 to 30, developed abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever and vomiting around 18 to 26 hours after eating dinner at a restaurant in Sha Tin on June 26. Two other men and a woman, aged 30 to 40, also fell ill about 32 to 34 hours after eating lunch at this restaurant the same day. Five people sought medical advice and one required hospitalization, but has since been discharged.

Two men and a woman, aged 20 to 22, developed symptoms about 22 to 32 hours after eating dinner at a restaurant in Causeway Bay on June 28. Three other women, aged 24 to 25, experienced similar symptoms around 34 to 43 hours after eating. in the same restaurant on June 26. Five of them saw a doctor and none required hospitalization.

Norovirus can infect food and water, and can also be spread through contact with the stool or vomit of an infected person. Although the symptoms can be unpleasant, it is a mild infection because it is usually short-lived and most people recover without medical treatment.

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