Oysters Sicken 170 People In Finland

Contaminated shellfish are continuing to cause illnesses in several European countries and in Hong Kong, Joe Whitworth reported for Food Safety News (FSN).

Photo Insert: Norovirus has been found in nine different oyster batches with two from the Netherlands, six from France, and one from Ireland.

At least 170 people have fallen ill in Helsinki, Finland, after eating oysters in various restaurants in February and March. Cases have also been reported in other Finnish cities.

Norovirus has been found in nine different oyster batches with two from the Netherlands, six from France, and one from Ireland, the Associated Press (AP) also reported.

Importers have withdrawn affected batches from the market. Officials have tested food from restaurants and taken patient samples, finding norovirus. Some of those sick reported eating oysters.

A report on the outbreak is being prepared for the Finnish Food Authority (Ruokavirasto) and the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL.) Norovirus is the most commonly identified cause of foodborne outbreaks in Finland.

Between 2017 and 2021, oysters caused 11 norovirus outbreaks in which more than 110 people fell ill.

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