FDA warns of oysters linked to norovirus outbreak

March 15 (UPI) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning people from Texas to New England to avoid oysters that were harvested by Connecticut firm Norm Bloom & Sons after they were linked to a norovirus outbreak in Minnesota.

The FDA announced Thursday that restaurants and food retailers in Connecticut, Florida, Minnesota., New Jersey, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Texas had recently purchased oysters from Norm Bloom & Son, which are based in Westport, Conn.

The affected oysters were harvested Feb. 20 and have lot number 207.

In a statement, the FDA said the oysters have been "associated with a norovirus outbreak in Minnesota and may be contaminated with norovirus."

Restaurants and food retailers should not serve or sell the oysters and consumers should not eat them, the agency said, noting that norovirus can cause diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting and fever.