Seafood warning as norovirus outbreak hits California

California restaurants and consumers are being warned against purchasing and eating a certain type of seafood over concerns of a norovirus outbreak in the state.

On Wednesday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an advisory to restaurants, retailers and consumers in California against selling, serving or consuming certain oysters in the state “because they may be contaminated with norovirus.”

According to the FDA, the oysters were distributed to different restaurants and stores in California by Acuacultura Integral De Baja California SA de CV – MX 4 SS located in Baja California, Mexico.

“The FDA is advising restaurants and food retailers not to serve or sell and to dispose of and consumers not to eat oysters from Baja California, Mexico from Acuacultura Integral De Baja California SA de CV – MX 4 SS from harvest area Laguna Manuela, B.C., Mexico,” the FDA said, adding that the oysters were harvested throughout the month of December and sent to distributors across California.

The warning on Wednesday comes shortly after the FDA learned of a norovirus outbreak in California from the state’s Department of Public Health. The cases were linked to the consumption of oysters that were harvested in Baja California, Mexico.

“As of 1/17/2024, CDPH has reported cases of norovirus illness in Los Angeles County and other counties that have been linked to consumption of oysters tracing back to specific harvest areas in Mexico. An investigation is ongoing and the number of illnesses is being tracked,” the FDA said.

Additionally, on January 11, San Diego County health officials announced that 41 cases of norovirus were linked “to raw oysters imported from a specific harvest location in Northwest Mexico.”

“The cases began in mid-December following dining on raw oysters from Sonora, Mexico. These implicated oysters have only been available through restaurants and wholesale locations. The County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) has asked restaurants to set aside ‘Rocky Point oysters’ packed by GOLPAC located in Bahia Salina, Sonora, Mexico until further notice,” San Diego County health officials said in a press release.

According to the FDA, norovirus symptoms include “diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and stomach pain,” as well as body aches, headache and a fever. Symptoms of norovirus usually occur approximately 12 to 48 hours after being exposed to the virus.

“If you have norovirus illness, you can feel extremely ill, and vomit or have diarrhea many times a day. This can lead to dehydration, especially in young children, older adults, and people with other illnesses,” the FDA says.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that norovirus outbreaks usually occur when an infected person spreads the illness to another through direct contact.

“Food, water, and surfaces contaminated with norovirus can also cause outbreaks,” the CDC says.

Newsweek reached out to the FDA via email for comment.