The Florida Department of Health (DOH) and the State Health Departments of Georgia and Alabama have detected an outbreak of Salmonella associated with the consumption of raw oysters harvested from the Cedar Key area of Florida.
To date, there have been 8 cases linked to this outbreak in Florida, Georgia and Alabama, the Florida Department of Health said.
On February 24, 2023, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services closed shellfish harvesting area FL-3012 in Cedar Key where wild oysters were sourced and issued a recall of those oysters harvested from December 16, 2022 through February 24. 2023.
The DOH strongly recommends that you do not eat the oysters listed in this advisory.
People should be aware of the current high risk of disease associated with the consumption of raw oysters. Eating food contaminated with Salmonella can cause salmonellosis.
SYMPTOMS OF SALMONELLOSIS
The most common symptoms associated with salmonellosis are diarrhoea, abdominal pain and fever which may appear between 12 and 72 hours after consumption of the contaminated product.
Most people recover without needing treatment. In rarer cases, the infection can cause more serious illness and require hospitalization.
The elderly, infants, pregnant women, and immunocompromised people are at higher risk of developing more serious disease, so they should see a doctor if symptoms worsen.