An outbreak of Salmonella tied to raw oysters has sickened 27 people across a dozen states.
While no deaths have been reported, five people have been hospitalized with the bacterial infection, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Pennsylvania has had the most cases - eight - followed by New York and Virginia. Patients started getting sick in late May.
The outbreak was linked to oysters harvested from the Little Wicomico Oyster Company in northeastern Virginia. The company voluntarily recalled oysters harvested from September 18 through October 8, and the state’s health department has temporarily closed the harvest area as a precaution.
A request for comment from the company was not immediately returned.
Recalled oysters were distributed to restaurants and retailers in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Missouri, North Carolina, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and the District of Columbia.
But the oysters may have been distributed elsewhere, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the CDC said cases could be higher than currently known.
Restaurants and retailers should throw out any of the oysters under recall or contact their distributor so they can be destroyed, the FDA says. Anyone who thinks they may have these oysters are home should throw them away or return them.
People should call a healthcare provider immediately if they experience any symptoms of Salmonella infection.
Symptoms may include diarrhea for more than two days without improvements, a fever higher than 102 degrees Fahrenheit (38.8 degrees Celsius), bloody diarrhea, vomiting to the point people can’t keep liquids down and dehydration.
These can begin up to six days after people swallow the bacteria, the CDC warns.
Most people recover on their own after a week, and infections are typically treated with fluids and antibiotics.
However, adults over age 65, young children and people with weakened immune systems may experience more severe illness than others.
There are six active outbreaks related to Salmonella nationally, according to FDA data. Other foodborne salmonella outbreaks this year have been tied to jalapeños, eggs and broccoli sprouts.
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