Gastroenteritis Outbreak Linked To Oysters Served At Seattle Restaurant

SEATTLE, WA - King County is reporting an outbreak of food poisoning linked to oysters served at a seafood restaurant in Seattle's Columbia City neighborhood. At least three people were sickened after eating at the Salted Sea in June, according to King County. County inspectors did not find any faults inside the restaurant that might've contributed to the illnesses, however, which means the oysters might've been contaminated before they arrived at the restaurant.

"An on-site investigation was conducted at Salted Sea by environmental health inspectors. No factors were identified that contribute to the spread of Vibrio, such as insufficient refrigeration temperatures or evidence of cross-contamination," King County said in a statement.

The oysters served at Salted Sea were harvested from a number of different oyster beds located around Washington state, according to King County, and so investigators could not pinpoint exactly where they came from. No oyster beds were closed in connection to the outbreak.

Earlier in 2017, more than two dozen people were sickened with a norovirus-like illness after eating raw oysters at a number of restaurants around Puget Sound. That outbreak was traced to a Samish Bay oyster bed, which was closed.

Image via Pixabay