Dozens fall ill after consuming raw oysters at Los Angeles restaurant event

The Los Angeles County Department of Health is investigating a norovirus outbreak that affected around 80 people who ate raw oysters at an event showcasing the city’s best restaurants. The event, hosted by the Los Angeles Times, took place on Dec. 3 at the Hollywood Palladium. The recalled oysters are Fanny Bay Select oysters and Fanny Bay XS oysters from Pacific Northwest Shellfish Co. The Food and Drug Administration issued a warning not to serve or sell oysters harvested in parts of British Columbia due to potential norovirus contamination. Norovirus causes vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, body aches, and fever, with symptoms appearing 12 to 48 hours after exposure. Oysters and other shellfish can absorb the virus when contaminated water comes in contact with them. The Los Angeles County health department is still investigating the outbreak. The Los Angeles Times spokesperson stated that the oysters were sourced from a Santa Monica shellfish company and provided to one of the restaurants at the event, ensuring compliance with safety standards. The 101 Best Restaurants List, created by the newspaper’s restaurant critic Jonathan Gold in 2014, has become a celebrated annual event in the food community. Gold, a local celebrity, passed away in 2018 at the age of 57.

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