The Food and Drug Administration is out with a warning for restaurants and grocery stores and the general public to refrain from selling, consuming or serving oysters from Lewis Bay.
That’s off the coast between Hyannis and West Yarmouth.
The FDA says there is a specific type of bacteria called “Camplobacter jejuni”.
The oysters in question were harvested between July 1 and 18 from two sites, identified by the FDA as SC28.
The oysters were shipped to retailers and stores in 11 states. California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New Hampshire, New York and Pennsylvania. Those are the states that the FDA knows about. It is unclear whether there are more.
Doctors say that the bacteria can cause illness if eaten raw and can cause a potential fatality in some cases.
An issue arising is that if a person smells and looks at the oysters, they appear normal.
Symptoms include diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps.
So far there have been no local issues.
(Photo credit JEAN-PIERRE MULLER/AFP via Getty Images)
Photo: JEAN-PIERRE MULLER / AFP / Getty Images