Raw Oysters At Sarasota Restaurant Prove Fatal For 71-Year-Old

SARASOTA, FL – The Florida Department of Health says a 71-year-old man has died from eating raw oysters at a Sarasota restaurant.

According to health officials, the man ate an oyster contaminated with the Vibrio vulnificus bacterium on July 8. He died two days later from a gastro-intestinal infection.

The health department hasn’t released the man’s name or the name of the restaurant.

This is the third death from the bacteria this year. The health department said there were also deaths in Hillsborough and Jackson counties. Another 13 people have been infected this year but survived.

According to the health department, Vibrio vulnificus is a bacterium that normally lives in warm seawater.

People can become infected if the bacterium enters an open wound or if they consume raw or undercooked seafood contaminated with the bacterium, especially oysters.

In 2017, there were 49 reported cases of infections in Florida. Eleven of those people died.

In 2016, the health department said 46 people became infected and 10 died.

The health department advises people who have underlying health conditions or weakened immune systems to stay out of the water if they have open wounds, wear proper foot protection when walking on the beach to prevent cuts from shells and avoid eating raw oysters and other shellfish.

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