Vibrio Alert for Shellfish

The Gyeonggi Province Health and Environmental Research Institute announced on the 4th that it will conduct a surveillance survey to predict vibrio vulnificus outbreaks through the end of November to detect vibrio vulnificus cases early and prevent transmission.

The testing targets will include seawater, tidal flats, and shellfish at 9 sites across 5 regions in the province—Ansan, Hwaseong, Pyeongtaek, Siheung, and Gimpo—and will test for vibrio vulnificus once weekly through November.

Vibrio vulnificus infection primarily occurs from June to September when seawater temperatures rise above 18 degrees Celsius. The infection is transmitted by consuming shellfish contaminated with the bacteria raw or through contact between wounded skin and contaminated seawater. It is a fatal infectious disease with a mortality rate reaching 50 percent.

Last year, 29 cases of vibrio vulnificus were detected in the province, but this year not a single case has been detected.

An official from the institute urged: "To prevent vibrio vulnificus infection, shellfish should be thoroughly cooked before consumption, and knives and cutting boards used for handling shellfish should be thoroughly washed with tap water before use. Avoid contact between wounded skin and contaminated seawater."