The Virginia Department of Health announced today that a portion of Hampton Roads along the Newport News shoreline in the city of Newport News is temporarily closed to shellfish harvesting due to a spill of raw sewage impacting water quality in the river.
Due to potential microbiological pollution hazards, shellfish taken from areas affected by the emergency closure are currently unacceptable for consumption. The temporary emergency closure is effective December 26, 2018, and is scheduled to reopen effective January 17, 2019.
Maps of the affected areas are posted on the Division of Shellfish Sanitation’s home page at www.vdh.virginia.gov/Shellfish/. The affected shellfish are bivalve mollusks including oysters and clams, but not crabs or fin fish.
Ingesting shellfish taken from the closed areas at this time could cause gastrointestinal illnesses including norovirus, hepatitis A and shigellosis.
For more information on shellfish closures, see the frequently asked questions on shellfish condemnations at http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/environmental-health/shellfish-sanitation/frequently-asked-questions/.
Share
AFP
