Norovirus in live oysters causes disease in North Americans

Recently, live oysters caught in Canada have been attributed to the outbreak of norovirus, which has infected more than 200 people, according to health officials.

On Tuesday (May 1), the California State Department of Public Health (CDPH) warned people to avoid eating raw oysters sourced from the British Columbia area (Canada), due to fears of the outbreak - making more than 100 people in California and 172 people in Canada are infected, according to CDPH.

How to appear in oysters?

Raw oysters.(Photo: Shutterstock).

This is a very contagious virus, causing sudden vomiting and diarrhea. Norovirus can spread from person to person, or by eating contaminated food. Oysters and some shellfish (shrimps, crabs, oysters, mussels) can become a common source of viral outbreaks - according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Exactly understand how norovirus appears in oysters is not really interesting (especially for those who eat them). This occurs when shellfish come into contact with untreated wastewater (such as on board) or vomit - according to Washington State Department of Health. Waste is usually dumped into the sea according to the following sources: for example, through leaking septic systems, sewage treatment systems are faulty, or even because seafarers arbitrarily turn this place into a toilet, .

Because shrimp, crab, oysters, mussels, etc. take food by filtering seawater, norovirus molecules can accumulate inside their bodies. Although many species of shellfish are able to spread norovirus, frequent outbreaks related to oysters are due to the habit of eating by consumers - authorities explain.

To prevent the disease caused by norovirus caused by eating shellfish, CDPH recommends that people cook them at a temperature of at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit (about 63 degrees Celsius).