At least 80 people reportedly suffered from vomiting and diarrhea after consuming oysters allegedly from British Columbia at a US$264-a-ticket fine dining event in Los Angeles.
“At this time, more than 80 people who consumed the oysters have reported illness,” a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said in a statement, according to ABC News on Friday.
After noting numerous recent cases of norovirus, also called “intestinal flu” or “stomach virus”, the authorities have managed to trace the vein to oysters from British Columbia, offered during a high-end event. gastronomy in Los Angeles on December 3, according to the American media.
That day, the Hollywood Palladium celebrated the Los Angeles Times' 101 Best Restaurants in a dining experience that started at US$264 per ticket – and could go up to US$600 for VIPs, we read.
Except that, in the days following their visit, several diners would have developed symptoms of this illness, which causes in particular vomiting, diarrhea, but also stomach aches, fever, body pain and dehydration, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health blamed raw oysters from Pacific Northwest Shellfish Co., a British Columbia company, served by Santa Monica Seafood at the event.
“There is no evidence to suggest mishandling at any point in the supply chain, including by Santa Monica Seafood or any of the restaurants participating in the LA Times event,” said the retailer, which is cooperating with the investigation, in a statement to ABC News.
The oysters affected by the incident, Fanny Bay Select and Fanny Bay XS, were recalled by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 15 states in the United States.
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