B.C. warns of contaminated shellfish risk - BERITAJA

British Columbians are being warned to cheque earlier harvesting shellfish this summertime because contaminated shellfish could origin superior and perchance life-threatening illness.

The B.C. Centre for Disease Control says microorganisms hap people successful coastal waters, particularly arsenic temperatures emergence during the warmer months, and could accumulate successful shellfish.

Harmful toxins are about often recovered successful mussels, clams, oysters, scallops and crab, but cockles, whelks, prawns, squid and different type that provender connected plankton could besides beryllium affected.

The centre says eating contaminated shellfish could lead to superior illness, including paralytic shellfish poisoning, amnesic shellfish poisoning and diarrhetic shellfish poisoning.

It says shellfish contaminated pinch these toxins cannot beryllium made safe by cooking.

Symptoms could statesman wrong minutes to hours aft eating contaminated shellfish, but whitethorn besides look up to 24 to 48 hours later.

Anyone who experiences numbness aliases tingling that spreads beyond the lips and mouth, expanding weakness, aliases trouble stepping aliases swallowing aft eating shellfish should spell to the nearest emergency room aliases telephone 911.

For diarrhea, vomiting and abdominal cramping aft eating shellfish, group are advised to telephone the Drug and Poison Information Centre astatine 1-800-567-8911, HealthLink BC astatine 811, aliases spot a health-care provider.

The BCCDC advises residents to cheque its shellfish harvesting map for unfastened and closed sites connected the time they scheme to harvest, and to harvest connected a receding tide.

It besides recommends keeping harvested shellfish successful a chilled cooler to forestall germs from growing.

The centre says group should only eat cooked shellfish to trim the consequence of unwellness from viruses and bacteria, but notes cooking does not destruct shellfish toxins.

People are besides advised not to navigator crabs whole. The BCCDC says crabs should beryllium divided first and the gut contents removed earlier boiling.

The centre besides recommends separating earthy and cooked seafood, keeping cooking areas clean, sanitizing knives and cutting boards, and washing hands earlier and aft preparing food.