The FDA on Monday warned consumers about oysters and clams which 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 Company and Manila clams harvested by Lummi Indian Business Council between Feb. 13 through March 3, according to an FDA statement.
These 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 those tainted products touching processing equipment that contacts other food in the kitchen, the agency said.
Representatives for Drayton Harbor Oyster Company and the Lummi Indian Business Council could not be immediately reached for comment on Tuesday.
The tribe, however, issued a statement on Friday warning of possible norovirus associated with shellfish coming out of Drayton Harbor. 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 getting better in another 24 to 72 hours, the FDA said.
Norovuris symptoms include dehydration, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, nausea, stomach pain, fever, headache and body aches.
