Oysters from area of Galveston Bay recalled after dozens report illness in La., Texas

BATON ROUGE, La. (KPLC) - Dozens of people have gotten sick from eating recalled raw oysters at restaurants in Louisiana and Texas, according to the Louisiana Department of Health.

The Texas Department of State Health Services has recalled oysters harvested in the southeastern Galveston Bay between Nov. 17 and Dec. 7. The recall includes oysters in the shell and shucked oysters from the TX 1 harvest area.

Nineteen people have reported gastrointestinal illness to the Louisiana Department of Health after eating raw oysters at restaurants, including at least 10 harvests from the TX 1 area.

Texas reported “a few dozen” cases of gastrointestinal illness linked to the recalled oysters.

There are not currently any cases of vibrio vulnificus, a potentially deadly bacteria found in warm, brackish and saltwater coastal areas, and in shellfish, in the summer months, according to LDH.

There have currently been no cases linked to oysters harvested in Louisiana waters, and at this time, there is no elevated concern with oysters harvested from Louisiana, according to LDH.

The LDH provides the following advice to prevent illness from eating shellfish:

Anyone currently experiencing an oyster-related illness should seek medical attention.
The Office of Public Health (OPH) Sanitarian Services has been providing guidance to restaurant owners during inspections about the recalled oysters. To report an oyster-related illness to OPH, please contact a Public Health Inspector.
If you are pregnant, suffer from chronic illness of the liver, stomach or blood or have other immune disorders, you should eat these products fully cooked.
Consumers who purchased Texas oysters since Nov. 17 should check the packaging to see if they were harvested in TX 1. If the oysters were unpackaged, they should contact the seller to find the source.
Restaurants should contact their distributor for information on the source of their oysters. Any oysters from TX 1 should be discarded.

More information about the Texas recall can be found HERE.