Protecting families from contaminated food and water
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Protecting families from contaminated food and water
Posted in Norovirus,Outbreaks & Recalls on February 18, 2025
At least 15 people have fallen ill with norovirus in New Orleans from contaminated oysters, says the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. An area near the Chandeleur Sound has been shut down for at least three weeks.
Additional cases are likely.
Here’s what we know so far about the outbreak of norovirus in New Orleans from contaminated oysters.
The Louisiana Department of Health began investigating an outbreak of what they are calling “non-life threatening norovirus-like illness” after several people fell sick with similar symptoms with overlapping food interview data.
“Norovirus has not been confirmed.” Though most of the time this type of fast-moving illness does not get detected. Often because it passes through the body before the sick person gets tested.
So far, the department has linked 15 illnesses with similar food. Louisiana oysters between January 15, 2025 and January 31, 2025. Several different restaurants were represented in patient interviews, leading investigators to assess a problem in the harvest area.
In response to these illnesses, a recall was initiated for oysters harvested in a select harvesting area. All oysters harvested from Area 3 since January 10, 2025 are included in this recall.
This includes all shucked, frozen, breaded, post-harvest processed, and oysters for the half-shell market.
All other shellfish/oysters harvested in other areas are currently considered safe for consumption. This area is one of 30 Oyster Areas harvested along the coast of Louisiana.
In addition to the recall, harvest Area 3 has also been closed, effective February 4, 2025.
The geographical area in question includes the harvesting zone east of Lake Borgne, north of Eloi Bay, and includes Chandeleur Islands and the surrounding marshes.
The area is set to be closed for at least 21 days. Though the department is continuing to investigate the situation and working closely with environmental monitoring. The department indicates that they will reopen them “as soon as they meet Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference (ISSC) standards.”
While the notice didn’t explicitly indicate that norovirus was found in the water or oysters collected from harvest Area 3, the implication leads me to believe that they detected at least some kind of pathogen to warrant this response. Or at the very least, enough circumstantial evidence.
Norovirus is a viral infection. It is sometimes referred to as “the stomach flu” because people experience many of the same symptoms between the two illnesses. But it is no flu at all. It is a gastrointestinal virus (as opposed to a respiratory virus).
Outbreaks are often foodborne because it is highly contagious and transmitted via fecal-oral route.
You become sick with norovirus after touching something an infected person has touched without effectively washing their hands and then eating or touching your own mouth. Or, in this case, after eating food contaminated from a water source.
It doesn’t take much to become sick either. Health experts say that you can become infected with as few as 10 viral particles. Even trace amounts that you cannot see, taste, or smell can be enough to spread infection.
If you consumed oysters from a restaurant in New Orleans recently, you will want to be on the look-out for norovirus symptoms.
People begin feeling sick around 12 to 48 hours after exposure. These symptoms can range from mild to so severe that an individual can become seriously dehydrated or require hospitalization to recover from their illness.
Common symptoms include:
Most people recover quickly. Generally in around one to three days.
But be careful!
You are most contagious and likely to transmit your illness to others while you are actively sick through the first few days of feeling better.
While all forms of oysters are included in this specific recall, generally, cooked oysters are safe. Regardless of recall status or time of year, consuming raw oysters is risky.
Certain bacteria and viruses are a part of the ecosystem shared with oysters. The harvesting process and supply chain activities also contribute to pathogen exposure.
Pathogens like Salmonella, Listeria, hepatitis A, and other bad bugs can be present in raw oysters. Consuming them can make you sick.
The most famous pathogen associated with raw oysters is Vibrio vulnificus. However, norovirus is also fairly common.
You may be asking yourself, why exactly are oysters more prone to this type of contamination. The answer involves how oysters eat.
Oysters are filter feeders.
They consume food by pulling water into their bodies, filtering what they eat, and release the rest back into the water.
These little creatures are exceptional at it. In fact, a single mature oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water a day!
They are so good at this task that some water remediation companies even use oysters to clean up polluted areas because they are more effective than some industrial processes commonly used for the purpose.
This act of filtering contributes to the risk. You see, in addition to the food they consume, they also hold onto potential pathogens in the water. Making themselves contaminated.
These germs don’t impact the oyster. But it certainly impacts the humans that consume them.
When you eat an oyster raw, there is no heat step to sufficiently kill those harmful germs. This leads to foodborne illness.
If you have recently fallen sick with symptoms consistent with norovirus in New Orleans you can help the investigation.
The Louisiana Department of Health wants your help. You can either contact your regional epidemiologist by following this link: https://ldh.la.gov/page/regional-epidemiologists-and-contact-information or submit a report here.
It is also a good idea to reach out to a norovirus lawyer to understand your rights.
If you have been seriously impacted by your norovirus illness and involved in a restaurant foodborne outbreak, you may have a legal case.
The Lange Law Firm, PLLC has a norovirus lawyer to help you navigate the legal process.
The Lange Law Firm, PLLC has recovered millions of dollars in food contamination and product liability suits to help cover medical expenses, missed work, and other burdens associated with foodborne illness.
Call (833) 330-3663 or submit your information on the online submission form for a free, no obligation consultation to go over the details of your situation.
By: Heather Van Tassell (contributing writer, non-lawyer)