Connecticut Department of Public Health urges shellfish safety awareness amid hepatitis A investigation in New York state

HARTFORD, CT — Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) Commissioner Manisha Juthani, M.D. today issued the following statement urging Connecticut residents to be aware of a hepatitis A outbreak investigation in New York state linked to contaminated shellfish, and to take common-sense precautions when consuming raw or undercooked shellfish.

"Connecticut has a proud shellfish harvesting tradition, and our state works hard every day to protect the safety of that industry and residents who enjoy it. The Department of Public Health, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), and the Connecticut Department of Agriculture (DoAg) maintain a robust, year-round statewide shellfish safety and sanitation program.

Through this partnership, there is regular water quality, biotoxin, and pathogen testing. Shellfish growing areas are closed swiftly when concerns are identified, and shellfish harvested from Connecticut waters must meet strict federal and state safety standards before they ever reach your plate. Connecticut residents can have confidence in the integrity of our state's shellfish industry.

However, when you sit down at a restaurant and order oysters, clams, or mussels, you may not know where those shellfish came from. Shellfish served in restaurants may be sourced from other states, other countries, or multiple suppliers — and not all of them operate under the same rigorous standards Connecticut has in place.

This concern is underscored by an active hepatitis A outbreak investigation being conducted by the New York State Department of Health and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. That investigation has been linked to fresh-frozen blood clams, also known as concha negra, imported from Ecuador and distributed within New York state.

A limited number of Connecticut retailers received this same product. Our teams are working with local health officials to ensure that the product is not served to consumers at Connecticut establishments.

Hepatitis A is a contagious liver infection that can be transmitted by consuming contaminated food or water. Symptoms include fatigue, nausea, stomach pain, and jaundice and can take 15 to 50 days to appear after exposure. Most people recover fully, but the illness can be serious, particularly for older adults and those with underlying health conditions.

I urge all Connecticut residents to take the following precautions:

• If you consumed raw or undercooked shellfish, especially blood clams, in recent weeks and are experiencing symptoms, contact your healthcare provider promptly.
• Ask restaurants where their shellfish is sourced. You have a right to know.
• Consider avoiding raw shellfish if you are pregnant, elderly, immunocompromised, or have liver disease.
• Make sure you are vaccinated against hepatitis A. The vaccine is safe, effective, and widely available.
• If you are a food service operator, ensure that all shellfish you serve comes from licensed, certified dealers and that proper cold chain and handling procedures are followed.

There is currently no confirmed link between this outbreak and Connecticut-harvested shellfish. We are issuing this advisory out of an abundance of caution and a commitment to keeping our residents informed."

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