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Gastroenteritis in Canada

18 April 2018

Media reporteda total of 126 cases of gastrointestinal illness linked to oyster consumption in three provinces: British Columbia (92), Alberta (9), and Ontario (25). No deaths have been reported. Individuals became ill between mid-March and early April 2018.

Advice for Travellers

All travellers should be advised on practicing good food and water hygiene as a matter of routine.

Public Health Agency of Canada has issued a Public Health Notice with specific advice on avoiding risk from contaminsated oysters, being:

  • Ensure oysters are fully cooked before consuming them. Lightly cooking oysters does not kill norovirus. Oysters need to be cooked to an internal temperature of 90° Celsius (194° Fahrenheit) for a minimum of 90 seconds in order to kill norovirus.
  • Discard any oysters that did not open while cooking.
  • Eat oysters right away after cooking and refrigerate leftovers.
  • Always keep raw and cooked oysters separate to avoid cross-contamination.
  • Do not use the same plate or utensils for raw and cooked shellfish, and wash counters and utensils with soap and warm water after preparation.
  • Wash your hands well with soap before and after handling any food. Be sure to clean and sanitize cutting boards, counters, knives and other utensils after preparing raw foods