The Virginia River stays closed to oyster harvest while sprouts, raw milk cheese, and illegally sold baby turtles keep sickening people across the country.

Update Note: This article reports new information involving the Little Wicomico River oyster outbreak following Nature World News' earlier coverage. Latest verified source: Virginia Department of Health outbreak page updated Oct. 26, 2026. CDC case counts are as posted on each outbreak page, ranging from Sept. 18 to Oct. 19, 2026.

Testing has now tied the Salmonella in a closed Virginia oyster river to more than one harvest site. The Virginia Department of Health said in an Oct. 26 update that whole genome sequencing found Salmonella Telelkebir, the outbreak's serotype, in five isolates from oysters in the Little Wicomico River, and that it was present in each of the four leases sampled.

The finding builds on an Oct. 13 sampling round in which all eight oyster meat samples taken from Little Wicomico Oyster Company cages tested positive for Salmonella. A second round of samples was submitted Oct. 21, and fecal contamination samples were collected Oct. 22. Results from both are still pending.

The river in Northumberland County has been closed to oyster and clam harvesting since Oct. 9. "Reopening will require three consecutive rounds of product testing," VDH said, meaning the closure could outlast its initial 30-day period. Crabs and finfish are not affected, and VDH says the closure does not affect drinking water.

Every Oyster Lease Tested Carried the Outbreak Serotype

Nature World News previously reported on the CDC's initial alert linking Little Wicomico River oysters to 27 illnesses in 12 states. Those figures remain the CDC's count as of its Oct. 19 notice, with five people hospitalized and no deaths. VDH says additional cases beyond that core cluster are under investigation.

The recall covers whole, in-shell oysters harvested from Sept. 18 through Oct. 8, 2026. VDH lists distribution to Colorado, Connecticut, Washington, D.C., Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Missouri, North Carolina, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Texas. Georgia agriculture officials said Publix sold the recalled oysters as "James River Oysters" through Oct. 14, Food Safety News reported.

Detecting the serotype across four leases points to a problem in the harvest water rather than a single cage, though VDH has not identified a contamination source. Oysters filter large volumes of water, so bacteria from fecal sources upstream can concentrate in their tissue. Shellfish from other Virginia growing areas are not part of the recall.

Sprouts and Raw Milk Cheese Still in Some Kitchens

The oysters are one of five open multistate outbreaks CDC is tracking this fall, which together account for about 168 illnesses and no deaths, according to an Oct. 24 summary by Contagion Live.

The largest is linked to alfalfa sprouts: 76 people sick with E. coli, Salmonella, or both in 16 states, with six hospitalized, as of CDC's Oct. 1 update. The recall covers Calco and Everything Sprouts brand alfalfa sprouts, certain lots of Robust Radish Sprout Mix, and a contaminated seed lot, SAL2-24JB. A separate outbreak tied to broccoli sprouts from Evergreen Fresh Sprouts has sickened 32 people in six states, with three hospitalized, as of Sept. 24. Those sprouts went to stores, co-ops and restaurants in Idaho, Montana and Washington.

A third outbreak involves Graziers grass-fed raw milk cheeses from Sierra Nevada Cheese Company, including cheddar and Monterey jack varieties. CDC reports 13 illnesses in nine states and eight hospitalizations, three with hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious kidney complication. More than half of those sick are children 5 or younger. Because the cheese has a long shelf life, CDC urges people to check their refrigerators.

Illegal Baby Turtles and Young Children

The least expected outbreak involves pets — specifically, small turtles. CDC has linked 20 Salmonella illnesses in 12 states, with five hospitalizations, to pet turtles as of Sept. 18. "Half of the sick people in this outbreak are children younger than 5 years old," the CDC said.

Turtles with shells under 4 inches are a known source of illness, and federal law has banned selling them as pets for decades. CDC says they still turn up illegally online, at flea markets and at roadside stands. Any turtle can carry Salmonella without looking sick.

Families with turtles should wash hands after handling them or their habitat, keep them out of kitchens, and empty tank water into a toilet rather than a sink. CDC advises against releasing unwanted turtles into the wild, where they can harm native wildlife. Shelters and reptile rescues can take them instead.

Who Gets Sickest and When to Call a Doctor

Salmonella usually causes diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps 6 hours to 6 days after exposure, and most people recover in 4 to 7 days. E. coli infections can lead to bloody diarrhea and, in some cases, kidney failure. Children under 5, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems face the highest risk of severe illness.

Throw away or return any recalled oysters, sprouts, or Graziers cheese, then wash surfaces and containers they touched with hot, soapy water or in a dishwasher. Lemon juice and hot sauce do not kill bacteria on raw oysters — only thorough cooking does. CDC says to contact a health care provider for diarrhea with a fever above 102°F, diarrhea lasting more than two days, bloody diarrhea, vomiting that prevents keeping liquids down, or signs of dehydration.

VDH expects results from its second oyster sampling round soon, and CDC updates its outbreak pages as new cases are confirmed. Nature World News will report on any change to the river closure or recall.

What Readers Want to Know

What is new in the oyster outbreak? Virginia found the outbreak serotype, Salmonella Telelkebir, in oysters from all four leases it sampled, per its Oct. 26 update.

Which oysters are recalled? Whole, in-shell oysters harvested from Virginia's Little Wicomico River by Little Wicomico Oyster Company from Sept. 18 to Oct. 8, 2026.

Which sprouts should I throw out? Calco and Everything Sprouts alfalfa sprouts, recalled Robust Radish Sprout Mix lots and Evergreen Fresh Sprouts broccoli sprouts.

What cheese is recalled? All Graziers grass-fed raw milk cheese from Sierra Nevada Cheese Company.

Are pet turtles safe for kids? CDC does not recommend turtles for children under 5, and turtles under 4 inches are illegal to sell as pets.

When should I see a doctor? For bloody diarrhea, a fever above 102°F with diarrhea, diarrhea lasting over two days, or signs of dehydration.