On May 10, Tuesday, the United States FDA issued an alert regarding specific oysters that were harvested from a certain area in Florida.

The FDA warned consumers not to buy, serve or eat oysters that came from a specific harvest area in Florida’s Apalachichola Bay. Retailers are also warned not to sell oysters coming from the area. The alert was issued because tests have shown that 8 people who consumed those oysters tested positive for Toxigenic Vibrio Cholerae 075. The result for the ninth person that was tested is yet to be announced.

The affected harvest site is Area 1642, which stretches north to south of Apalachicola Bay. From west to east, the area measures 2 miles. Apalachicola Bay provides consumers with around 90% of Florida’s oysters. When all other oyster harvest areas closed in Florida because of the oil spill caused by BP, Apalachicola Bay continued to operate and produce oysters for Florida.

However, investigation regarding the outbreak of Cholera has led to the temporary closure of Area 1642 as of April 29. This closure was initiated by Florida officials because it was found that people who ate slightly steamed or raw Florida oysters became ill. Residents who got sick because of the oysters came from the states of Florida, Indiana, Louisiana and Georgia.

The Aquaculture Division of Florida has already asked oyster dealers and harvesters to recall those oysters coming from the affected harvest area. Initially, the Florida oysters were distributed to Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina and Alabama. However, these oysters were possibly redistributed to other places, as well.

Just this week, oyster samples from the affected harvest area were again tested to check for the presence of Toxigenic Vibrio Cholerae 075. FDA has already cleared Area 1642 for operation as the samples tested were found to be negative for the organism.