By Free Republic | Created at 2024-09-28 11:57:04 | Updated at 2024-09-30 13:32:47
2 days ago
550 people report illness after P.E.I. shellfish festival, health officials say
Posted on 09/28/2024 12:12:38 AM PDT by jerod
'This is the biggest gastrointestinal illness outbreak we have on record,' says CPHO
More than 550 people who attended the P.E.I. International Shellfish Festival last weekend reported getting sick, according to the province's chief public health officer.
"This is the biggest gastrointestinal illness outbreak we have on record," Dr. Heather Morrison told CBC News on Friday.
Stool samples taken from people who ate food at the festival have tested positive for norovirus, Morrison said.
"That makes sense to us given all the information that we have."
The illness caused four people to go to emergency departments, and one person to be hospitalized, Morrison said.
Norovirus is transmitted in a number of ways, like eating contaminated food, touching contaminated surfaces, or being in contact with someone who has the virus, she said.
The CPHO began its investigation earlier this week after people began reporting symptoms including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps and fever after attending the event, which was held Sept. 19-22 in Charlottetown.
Organizers said over 3,200 people attended the shellfish festival on Saturday alone, and the four-day attendance was over 9,000.
Anyone with symptoms was advised to fill out an online food questionnaire in an effort to help track the extent of the outbreak and determine the cause.
"It was more people than we had initially even thought," she said. "I would venture [to] guess there were probably more people that were sick than even responded to the questionnaire."
The Chief Public Health Office also contacted the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and other health-care staff to remind them to take stool samples from anyone who presented with symptoms.
But despite the highly contagious nature of norovirus, Morrison said hospitals have not reported a recent spike in cases.
Liam Dolan, board chair for the shellfish festival, is hopeful the outbreak will not tarnish the reputation of the annual event in downtown Charlottetown.
"I feel bad for anybody that did get sick, but it was out of our control to a certain degree," he said. "So I think we are going to learn from this and move on."
With over four decades working in hospitality, Dolan said he's never seen anything like this.
"I'm very disappointed that something like this can happen. We've had 27 years of a great track record for this festival," he said, adding that regular cleaning and safe food handling has always been a priority.
"We do everything that needs to be done. It's just sheer bad luck."...
TOPICS: Business/Economy; Canada; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
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I don't mind eating cooked mussels every now and then and Prince Edward Island is famous for them... I tend to stay away from 'oysters on half shell' though... That can get real nasty, real quick.
1 posted on 09/28/2024 12:12:38 AM PDT by jerod
To: jerod
2 posted on 09/28/2024 12:13:19 AM PDT by jerod (Nazis were essentially Socialist in Hugo Boss uniforms... Get over it!)
To: jerod
oysters on half shell
Yeah, reminds me of raw egg whites, or snot.
I used to harvest oysters on my trips to Guaymas. I put them in souffle.
3 posted on 09/28/2024 12:34:07 AM PDT by Jeff Chandler (THE ISSUE IS NEVER THE ISSUE. THE REVOLUTION IS THE ISSUE.)
To: jerod
Forget the url...embrace the hurl....
4 posted on 09/28/2024 1:03:03 AM PDT by Getready (Wisdom is more valuable than gold and harder to find.)
To: jerod
Probably a few handlers along the supply chain who shoulda’ called in sick...or mendacious sabotage. or bio warfare from someone who hates the festival...
5 posted on 09/28/2024 1:06:10 AM PDT by Getready (Wisdom is more valuable than gold and harder to find.)
To: jerod
“I don’t mind eating cooked mussels every now and then....
Ummm love me some Steamed Mussels with Leeks, Garlic, Thyme, White Wine, Butter and some toasted baguette to mop things up.
6 posted on 09/28/2024 1:15:15 AM PDT by DAC21
To: jerod
7 posted on 09/28/2024 1:35:01 AM PDT by The Duke (Not without incident)
To: jerod
Alright, who had the fish?
8 posted on 09/28/2024 1:41:00 AM PDT by Libloather (Why do climate change hoax deniers live in mansions on the beach?)
To: DAC21
I’m in. With a nice wheat beer.
9 posted on 09/28/2024 2:04:13 AM PDT by FreedomPoster (Islam delenda est)
To: Libloather
10 posted on 09/28/2024 2:04:41 AM PDT by LukeL
To: jerod
I have watched my daughter and son in law eat oysters on the half shell in a restaurant as an appetizer. I was cringing the whole time….
11 posted on 09/28/2024 4:25:31 AM PDT by telescope115 (I NEED MY SPACE!!! 🔭)
To: FreedomPoster; DAC21
12 posted on 09/28/2024 4:30:26 AM PDT by AbolishCSEU (Amount of "child" support paid is inversely proportionate to mother's actual parenting of children)
To: telescope115
That’s why you’re supposed to eat them with hot sauce horseradish or minionette. I guess you could also take a dose of Ivermectin later.
(we love oysters on the half shell)
13 posted on 09/28/2024 4:31:47 AM PDT by AbolishCSEU (Amount of "child" support paid is inversely proportionate to mother's actual parenting of children)
To: jerod
14 posted on 09/28/2024 4:32:08 AM PDT by AbolishCSEU (Amount of "child" support paid is inversely proportionate to mother's actual parenting of children)
To: jerod
Even cave men learned to cook their food. Anyone that eats raw meat today deserves whatever comes their way. stoopid
15 posted on 09/28/2024 4:48:28 AM PDT by BlackbirdSST (Trump or Bust! Long live the Republic.)
To: BlackbirdSST
I like my steak so rare that when I first cut into it, the last pump of blood squirts up before the heart stops.
16 posted on 09/28/2024 4:56:22 AM PDT by trebb (So many fools - so little time...)
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