Another large harvest of B.C. oysters has been recalled due to a norovirus contamination.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) issued two oyster recalls on Sunday, citing the products as being exposed to the virus, which can make people extremely ill.
The second recall involves certain Taylor Shellfish Canada ULC brand oysters, which were harvested between March 3 and 22.
They are the Fanny Bay, Royal Miyagi and Sunseekers brands, in various sizes, which were sold across Canada.
The earlier recall yesterday involved the Pacific Rim Shellfish Corp. brand.
Those oysters, according to the CFIA, had harvest dates of Mar. 9, 15, and 19 and were also sold across the country.
The CFIA said it triggered the recall after linking a series of reports of people being sick to the products.
For a full list of all the oysters and their batch numbers, go to the CFIA's recall site.
What you should do
The CFIA said all of the oysters in question should be thrown out or returned to the place of purchase.
If you think you became sick from consuming a recalled product, call your doctor;
Check to see if you have the recalled products in your home or establishment;
Do not consume the recalled products;
Do not serve, use, sell, or distribute the recalled products;
Consumers who are unsure if they have purchased the affected products are advised to contact their retailer.
What are the symptoms of norovirus?
People with norovirus illness usually develop symptoms of gastroenteritis within 24 to 48 hours, but symptoms can start as early as 12 hours after exposure.
The illness often begins suddenly. Even after having the illness, you can still become re-infected by norovirus.
The main symptoms of norovirus illness are diarrhea, vomiting (children usually experience more vomiting than adults), nausea and stomach cramps.
Other symptoms may include low-grade fever, headache, chills, muscle aches and fatigue (a general sense of tiredness).
Most people feel better within one or two days, with symptoms resolving on their own, and experience no long-term health effects. As with any illness causing diarrhea or vomiting, people who are ill should drink plenty of liquids to replace lost body fluids and prevent dehydration. In severe cases, patients may need to be hospitalized and given fluids intravenously.
