Concert in the Park
In Ferland Park on July 23 from noon to 10 p.m., this year’s free open-air concert features local musicians and bands including Sam Holden, Playing for Keeps, Last Call, Macho Tsunami, Rosewoods Diary, Stonefly, and Buck Fever.
Illness in B.C. from raw oysters
Vancouver – The BC Centre for Disease Control has confirmed the first case of illness this summer linked to the bacterium known as “Vibrio” (Vibrio parahaemolyticus) and the consumption of raw oysters.
Vibrio grows in seawater and accumulates in shellfish like oysters and clams. It is especially prevalent during the summer when seawater temperatures rise. When consumed in raw or undercooked shellfish, it can cause illness including fever, vomiting and diarrhea.
The largest outbreak in BC history occurred last year when 60 people became ill from eating raw or undercooked BC oysters, and another 13 from exposure to seawater with elevated bacteria levels. The majority of people who became ill from oysters consumed them in restaurants, although several cases were associated with raw oysters bought at retail outlets or self-harvested.
This year’s illness was reported June 30, a full two weeks later than last year’s cases began to emerge. And although the person consumed the raw oysters in the Vancouver area, experts from BCCDC warn eating raw shellfish from any source can pose a risk of making you ill.
Oysters packaged without a shell are intended to be cooked; do not eat them raw.
If you are planning to harvest shellfish, ensure the area is open for harvesting, always keep shellfish cold and only harvest on receding tides.