The Food and Drug Administration warned consumers Monday about oysters and clams that could be contaminated with norovirus and were sent to nine states, including California, Florida and New York.
The shellfish caution covers "certain raw oysters" harvested by Drayton Harbor Oyster Co. and Manila clams harvested by Lummi Indian Business Council from Feb. 13 to March 3, the FDA said in a statement.
The potentially bad oysters and clams were sent to food retailers and restaurants in nine states — Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Nevada, New York, Oregon and Washington — the FDA said.
The agency urged restaurants and retailers "not serve or sell the potentially contaminated oysters or Manila clams" but instead "dispose of any products by throwing them in the garbage or contacting their distributor to arrange for destruction."
There's also a threat of cross-contamination from the tainted products' touching processing equipment that comes in contact with other food in the kitchen, the agency said.
Representatives for Drayton Harbor Oyster Co. and the Lummi Indian Business Council could not immediately be reached for comment Tuesday.
The tribe warned of possible norovirus associated with shellfish coming out of Drayton Harbor in a statement Friday. The warning stopped short of a recall and urged consumers not to eat the shellfish raw.
Consuming tainted shellfish could lead to symptoms in 13 to 48 hours before people who it them get better in 24 to 72 hours, the FDA said.
Norovirus symptoms include dehydration, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, nausea, stomach pain, fever, headache and body aches.
