SWFL man dies after eating raw oysters

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A man died from a Vibrio vulnificus bacteria infection after eating raw oysters at a Florida restaurant, health officials say.

The 71-year-old man died two days after eating the raw oysters in a Sarasota restaurant. Health officials have not said which restaurant.

Oysters prepared at Dorona in Naples are practically newborns. Corporate Chef Jason Goddard says the restaurant only serves oysters that have been plucked from the water within a few days, all for the customers safety.

“We have oysters flying in two, three times a week just to maintain freshness,” Goddard said.

Goddard says despite living in a great seafood state, the oysters caught here aren’t the best to eat.

It is unclear what kind of oyster the Sarasota man ate, but if it was a Florida oyster, it could have been compromised by water temperatures.

“The Florida ones are ones you have to watch out for more because of our warmer water, and that’s where the Vibrio is more active. In warmer water,” Goddard said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports people with immune systems or cancer are more likely to contract it, but everyone should be aware when ordering at the raw bar.

“I like to say you’re the best version of your own doctor,” Goddard said. “If you don’t think it’s right for you, don’t eat it.”

When cooking oysters at home, the CDC suggests boiling oysters for a significant amount of time.

The Florida Department of Health’s website says symptoms may include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain or fever.

The health department’s website also reports 16 confirmed cases of Vibro vulnificus this year, three of them fatal.

Health officials warn against earing raw or undercooked shell fish or getting into salt water with open wounds.

MORE: Woman dies after contracting flesh-eating bacteria from oysters

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