Reports show that two have died after eating raw Louisiana oysters in Florida. They died of a bacterial infection after eating raw oysters. Both deaths are linked to Louisiana oysters served or bought in Florida.
Gary Oreal, who manages the Rustic Inn, told the South Florida SunSentinel that the man who died worked at the restaurant famous for garlic crabs years ago.
“Over the course of 60 years, we have served a couple billion oysters, and we never had anyone get sick like this guy did,” Oreal said. Oreal also reminded us that there is always risk attached to eating raw oysters. He said he will continue to eat them, but that “you are putting yourself at risk when you do it.”
Deaths linked to eating raw Louisiana oysters
Oreal explained that Inspectors from the Florida Department of Health surveyed the restaurant’s kitchen and examined its oyster inventory the day after the man became ill.
“We passed with flying colors and we were allowed to continue to sell oysters,” he said, adding the oysters being served currently are from Louisiana. “If there was a problem with the oyster bed we would know it because others would have gotten sick.”
Another Pensacola person died after contracting the bacteria from oysters he bought at a market, according to the Pensacola News Journal.
According to the Florida Department of Health, in 2022, 26 people have become infected with the bacteria. Six of them later died after eating raw shellfish, including oysters. In 2021, 10 people died out of 34 people sick people. In 2020, there were seven deaths among the 36 who became ill.
