Dozens of people get sick after LA Times 101 Best Restaurants event; health officials investigating

Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times on Dec 19, 2024

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LOS ANGELES — Health officials are investigating a possible norovirus outbreak after dozens of people became sick after eating raw oysters at the L.A. Times 101 Best Restaurants event.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health confirmed that more than 80 people who attended the annual event — which features some of the area's most celebrated and popular restaurants — reported getting sick with symptoms that included diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain and vomiting.

The illnesses appear to be linked to raw oysters provided at the Dec. 3 event that have since been recalled, according to a public health spokesperson.

The dozens of reported illnesses from the event came just days before the California Department of Public Health on Dec. 13 issued a recall for the oysters. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has since issued a warning to restaurants and retailers not to sell the oysters on account of potential norovirus contamination. The warning affected restaurants and retailers in multiple states.

The oysters were supplied by Fanny Bay Oysters, according to Hillary Manning, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Times. The oysters were sourced by Santa Monica Seafood, which was a sponsor of the event, and provided to one of the restaurants featured in the 101 Best Restaurants list, Manning said.

News of the possible outbreak was first reported by L.A. Taco.

Like previous events hosted by the Los Angeles Times, Manning said that all safety protocols were followed for the event.

"We have produced culinary events for many years and take food safety very seriously," she wrote in an email. "As is the case with each of our events, we had protocols in place and, based on an inspection from the L.A. County Department of Public Health, we were in compliance with all relevant safety standards. We also know the care that each chef and restaurant takes in preparing and serving food to our community."

Without specific testing, there is no way for a vendor or restaurant to detect norovirus because it does not affect the taste, smell or appearance of oysters.

The Los Angeles Times first became aware that some people from the event became sick on Dec. 11. Officials at the company, who were unaware of the cause, referred people to the L.A. County Department of Public Health. On Dec. 12, the public health department contacted The Times about a group of people who had reported getting sick.

There were people who attended the event who reported not seeing any kind of notice or alert from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

Jamie Clegg, who bought two tickets to the event, said he never saw a notice in his email.

"I didn't get anything, unless it inadvertently went to spam," he said.

He went to the event with a friend who is employed by the L.A. Times, he said, and that person did get an email from county health officials notifying them about the illness cluster and asking them to answer an anonymous questionnaire.

The oysters served on Dec. 3 were part of a batch of recalled Fanny Bay Select and Fanny Bay XS oysters from Pacific Northwest Shellfish Co., which were packed on Nov. 25, the county public health spokesperson said.

The outbreak is still under investigation.

Someone infected by the virus could experience symptoms for 12 to 48 hours, according to the FDA.