Shanghai's food authority has advised people to avoid uncooked
shellfish during the winter, when outbreaks of gastroenteritis
generally peak.
People are advised to avoid eating uncooked shellfish such as
oysters and clams as they may contain noroviruses, the Shanghai
Food and Drug Administration said in a notice released on Friday,
Shanghai Oriental Morning Post reported.
Noroviruses are a common cause of food poisoning and are often
found in polluted waters. They appear to be most active in cold
weather. Symptoms include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting and abdominal
cramps and the effects usually appear within 24 to 48 hours of
exposure and typically last one to three days, the report said.
The virus is especially dangerous to children and seniors as it
can cause lung infections and other life-threatening complications,
the report said.
Norovirus cases were reported last winter in Beijing and
Guangdong Province, along with Japan and Italy, according to Xinhua
News Agency in previous reports.
(Shanghai Daily December 17, 2007)