As the DDay commemorations approach, the news is particularly bad for oyster farmers who were going to be able to count on an arrival of tourists: the collection and marketing of shellfish is now prohibited in the municipalities of Grandcamp-Maisy and Gefosse-Fontenay in Calvados.
In a press release, the Prefecture of Calvados indicates that “as of May 24, 2024, 16 human cases of hepatitis A sharing a possible common Source of exposure have been brought to the attention of health authorities ; traceability investigations made it possible to determine that the consumption of shellfish from the production areas of Grandcamp-Maisy and Gefosse-Fontenay could be the origin of the transmission of the virus for some of these cases.” A type of contamination that has not happened since 2007, according to the authorities.
Fishing and sales ban until June 8, before further analyzes
It is stipulated that “the analyzes carried out on the wastewater of Grandcamp-Maisy made it possible to detect a significant viral load, testifying to the circulation of the virus within the local population (…) Under these conditions, as a precaution and in particular in order to be able to noting a drop in viral circulation in the days to come, the prefect decides to close the shellfish production areas of Grandcamp-Maisy and Gefosse-Fontenay until June 8, and to remove the shellfish still on the market.” This concerns oysters, of course, but let us point out that recreational fishing on foot for all species of filter-feeding shellfish in this sector is also prohibited.. The advisability of lifting these measures will be reviewed in 15 days.
It should be noted that the hepatitis A virus is transmitted mainly by the fecal-oral route. It can cause asymptomatic forms, particularly in children. For symptomatic people, the infection manifests itself by fever, asthenia (fatigue), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Sick people may also present with jaundice, i.e. a yellowish discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes. Hepatitis A is subject to surveillance by Public Health France through the mandatory reporting without delay of all cases to the Regional Health Agencies. Waiting for, oyster farmers will have to face a new crisis after experiencing a downturn during the end-of-year holidays. A new episode which also questions the quality of the water discharged.
