Oregon authorities have closed the state’s entire coast to mussel harvesting following an “unprecedented” outbreak of shellfish poisoning.
At least 20 people have suffered paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP), caused by saxitoxin, a natural toxin produced by algae.
The state has also closed parts of the coast to the harvesting of razor clams, clams and oysters.
“We have had a paralyzing shellfish poisoning event in Oregon that we’ve never seen in the state,” Matthew Hunter, shellfish program director for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, said Friday.
“The unprecedented nature of the outbreak was due to both the number of species affected and the number of people who became ill,” he said.
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Oregon Department of Agriculture announced the new closures Thursday.
Hunter said elevated levels of toxins were first detected in shellfish on the state’s central and northern coasts on May 17.
State health officials are asking people who have harvested or eaten Oregon seafood since May 13 to complete a survey intended to help researchers identify the cause of the outbreak and the number of people sick.
PSP is caused by saxitoxin, a natural toxin produced by algae, according to the Oregon Health Authority.
People who eat shellfish contaminated with high levels of saxitoxins usually begin to feel unwell within 30 to 60 minutes, the agency said.
Symptoms include numbness in the mouth and lips, vomiting, diarrhea, and even difficulty breathing and irregular heartbeat in severe cases.
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According to the agency, there is no antidote for PSP, but treatment of severe cases may require mechanical ventilators to help patients breathe.
Officials warn that cooking or freezing contaminated shellfish does not remove toxins and does not make them safe to eat.
Authorities in neighboring Washington state have also closed their Pacific coast to the harvesting of shellfish, including mussels, clams, scallops and oysters, a shellfish safety map prepared by the Washington State Department of Health showed.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture says it will continue to test shellfish for toxins at least twice a month, as tides and weather permit.
According to the agency, reopening an area closed to biotoxins requires two consecutive tests showing that toxin levels are below a certain threshold.
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