Don’t head to Drayton Harbor to harvest shellfish right now: the Washington State Department of Health has issued an emergency closure for recreational and commercial molluscan shellfish harvest in the harbor.
Several people who ate raw oysters harvested on Dec. 28 and Dec. 30 in Drayton Harbor developed illnesses one to two days later with symptoms consistent with “a Norovirus like illness,” including vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps and fatigue. Other outbreaks have been reported in Puget Sound and British Columbia, according to a Whatcom County health department news release.
Norovirus and other bacterial pathogens may be present in raw shellfish; the health department recommends people cook all molluscan shellfish to 145 degrees F before eating them.
The Whatcom County health department also issued guidelines earlier this week on Norovirus — outbreaks of the illness have increased across the country.
Charlotte Alden is CDN’s general assignment/enterprise reporter; reach her at charlottealden@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 123.
