164 Sick After Oyster Festival In Ocean City

OCEAN CITY, MD — State health officials say 164 people from four states who attended a beer and oyster festival in Ocean City became ill with stomach flu. Visitors from Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey reported getting sick after the “Shell Shocked” beer and oyster festival at Fager’s Island restaurant on Nov. 4.

The number of victims prompted the Maryland Department of Health to investigate the illnesses. Symptoms experienced by those who fell ill seem to point to gastroenteritis, commonly called the stomach flu, a spokeswoman told the Delmarva Daily Times. The ailment isn't a strain of influenza, says the Mayo Clinic.

Initial reports put the number of ill visitors at 145, but that was increased late Monday. Officials said Monday that 164 reported cases could be tied to the festival, reports WTOP.

Gastroenteritis attacks the intestines, causing diarrhea; abdominal cramps and pain; nausea, vomiting or both; muscle aches or headache; and a low-grade fever. None of the festival-goers was hospitalized, the Baltimore Sun reports, and no deaths have been tied to the outbreak.

The cause of gastroenteritis is often a norovirus infection, according to the U.S. Library of Medicine. It spreads through contaminated food or water, and contact with an infected person. The best prevention is frequent hand-washing, disinfecting counters and food preparation areas, and avoiding raw food.

A second round of the festival was held Saturday with local health officials on scene to check the restaurant and make sure employees who are ill or were sick in the previous 48 hours did not work.

"We welcome their assistance and presence at Saturday’s event," Fager's Island General Manager Kevin Myers told the Delmarva Daily Times. "I assure any attendees or concerned patrons that all regulations have been and will be followed to ensure the proper food safety."

The best hand-washing methods are: If your children are older, teach them to wash their hands, especially after using the toilet. It's best to use warm water and soap and to rub hands vigorously for at least 20 seconds, remembering to wash around cuticles, beneath fingernails and in the creases of the hands. Then rinse thoroughly. Carry towelettes and hand sanitizer for times when soap and water aren't available, says the Mayo Clinic.

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Photo of Ocean City beach courtesy of the city