🛑 Public Health Alert — April 17, 2026
Recalled Shellfish Due to Potential Norovirus Contamination
The FDA is advising consumers, restaurants, and retailers not to eat, serve, or sell shellfish harvested by Gomez Shellfish, LLC (WA-1724-SS) from a portion of Hammersley Inlet, WA. These products may be contaminated with norovirus.
📋 Recall Details
- Brand: Gomez Shellfish, LLC (WA-1724-SS)
- Product: All species of shellstock (including raw oysters and clams)
- Harvest Location: Hammersley Inlet, Washington State
- Harvest Dates: March 22 – April 9, 2026
- Reason for Recall: Potential norovirus contamination linked to norovirus-like illnesses associated with consumption of raw oysters
- Distribution: Shipped to restaurants and retailers in California (CA), Oregon (OR), Texas (TX), and Washington (WA); may have been distributed to other states as well
⚠️ What Is Norovirus?
Norovirus is a highly contagious virus that can cause serious gastrointestinal illness. Food contaminated with norovirus may look, smell, and taste completely normal. Symptoms typically appear 12 to 48 hours after exposure and include:
- Diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and stomach pain
- Fever, headache, and body aches
- Possible severe dehydration — especially in young children, older adults, and immunocompromised individuals
Most people recover within 1 to 3 days. If you think you or someone in your care may be severely dehydrated, contact a healthcare provider immediately.
✅ Recommended Actions
For Consumers:
- Do not eat any recalled shellfish from Gomez Shellfish, LLC (WA-1724-SS) harvested March 22 – April 9, 2026
- Dispose of any such product immediately by throwing it in the garbage
- If you are experiencing symptoms of norovirus illness, contact your healthcare provider and report symptoms to your local health department
For Restaurants & Retailers:
- Do not serve or sell recalled shellfish
- Dispose of recalled product in the garbage or contact your distributor to arrange for destruction
- Clean and sanitize all food contact surfaces, cutting surfaces, utensils, and containers that may have come into contact with the recalled product
- Ensure staff wash hands thoroughly with warm water and soap after any cleaning and sanitation process
For Local Health Department Partners:
- If recalled products are encountered during routine surveillance inspections, bring them to management’s attention and ensure removal from consumer access
- Pay special attention to salvage/discount food stores, food banks, soup kitchens, and ethnic markets, as these operations may not have been directly notified of the recall
🔗 Source & Additional Resources
- FDA Safety Alert — Recalled Shellfish from Hammersley Inlet, WA
- FDA Food Recalls
- Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference Notices
- Kentucky Department for Public Health — Food Safety Branch
📞 Questions or Reports?
Contact the Kentucky Department for Public Health Foodborne Outbreak & Recall Coordinator:
DPH.Recall@ky.gov