VA River Linked To Salmonella-Contaminated Oysters To Remain Closed: VDH

A shellfish closure announced in October after oysters from a Virginia river tested positive for Salmonella has been extended.

The Virginia Department of Health has issued an update after oysters harvested from the Little Wicomico River were recalled due to Salmonella contamination in October. VDH says oyster samples collected from the river on Oct. 13 and 21 still test positive for Salmonella. Therefore, the harvesting area closure will be extended.

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Oysters from the Little Wicomico Oyster Company were recalled on Oct. 9. The recalled batches of oysters, harvested from Sept. 18 through Oct. 8, are now past their shelf life and no oysters have been harvested from the river since. Any remaining product containing those oysters should be disposed of.

At the time of the recall, the FDA said the recalled oysters were distributed to restaurants and retailers in Virginia, as well as to California, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Missouri, North Carolina, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania and Texas, and might have been further distributed.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, 28 people in 13 states have been sickened by the contaminated oysters and five people have been hospitalized.

Salmonella symptoms include diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps. Symptoms usually appear within 12-72 hours of eating contaminated food and can last from four to seven days.

Elderly people, children under five years old and people with weakened immune systems are at risk of severe infections. Sometimes, Salmonella can spread to other parts of the body and cause serious infections with long-lasting complications. Occasionally, it can be fatal.

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