Los Angeles health officials are investigating a norovirus outbreak that occurred after around 80 people became ill after eating raw oysters at an event showcasing the city’s best restaurants. The event, hosted by the Los Angeles Times, took place on December 3 at the Hollywood Palladium. The recalled oysters, Fanny Bay Select and Fanny Bay XS oysters, were harvested in British Columbia and were found to be contaminated with norovirus. The FDA issued a warning to restaurants and retailers in multiple states to not serve or sell oysters harvested from certain areas in British Columbia.
Norovirus causes symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea and is commonly associated with contaminated shellfish that have absorbed the virus from sewage. The Los Angeles County health department is continuing to investigate the outbreak. The Los Angeles Times, the organizer of the event, stated that they had protocols in place for food safety and were in compliance with safety standards according to the L.A. County Department of Public Health.
The 101 Best Restaurants event is a highly anticipated culinary event in Los Angeles, featuring top chefs from Michelin-starred restaurants. The event was created by the late Jonathan Gold, a Pulitzer Prize-winning restaurant critic and local celebrity, who passed away in 2018. The Los Angeles Times has expressed their commitment to food safety and their respect for the care that chefs and restaurants take in preparing and serving food to the community.
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