Overview
- The prefectural order suspends harvesting and sales from the Étang de Thau pending sanitary clearance, with affected lots already distributed nationwide.
- Officials report several clustered gastroenteritis cases tied to recent consumption of Thau oysters, establishing an epidemiological link to the virus.
- The government’s Rappel Conso urges consumers to stop eating implicated oysters and mussels, return purchases for reimbursement, and seek medical care if symptoms appear within 48 hours, with special caution for immunocompromised people.
- Uncertainty remains over the withdrawal cutoff, as some notices flag harvests from December 22 while the prefecture states products gathered before December 19 are exempt.
- Producers warn of severe losses at the peak holiday period, though some who moved oysters into tanks before the risk window say they can maintain limited sales under health rules.