Oyster Recall: Louisiana Health Officials Order Recall After 14 Illnesses

Louisiana health officials ordered a recall of oysters caught in the Gulf coast after fourteen people came down with an illness at a New Orleans area restaurant between April 28 and April 29, the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) announced on Tuesday.

In response to the illnesses, health officials closed off an oyster harvesting area in Terrebonne Parish. The closure is expected to last around 21 days. The Associated Press reports:

“The recall includes shucked, frozen, breaded, processed and oysters for the half shell market that were taken from Area 23 in Terrebonne Parish.”

Fortunately, those who came down with an illness after eating infected oysters didn’t require any hospitalization. According to the DHH’s report, the oyster recall was prompted after the discovery that oysters in that area were infected with the norovirus, commonly known as stomach flu.

There generally isn’t any concern with the norovirus, apart from the fact that it is contagious, but it is uncomfortable. Those who come down with the illness can expect nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps that range from moderate to severe.

States impacted by the oyster recall are said to include Louisiana, Maryland, Texas and Georgia, according to the Associated Press.