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Pennsylvania health officials identified a Salmonella Telelkebir outbreak involving 27 patients across 12 states, linked to oysters harvested from Virginia’s Little Wicomico River. The oysters, harvested September 18 through October 8, 2026, have been recalled; officials say restaurants and retailers should not serve or sell them, and consumers should not eat them.
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture has identified 27 Salmonella Telelkebir patients in an outbreak linked to oysters harvested from Virginia’s Little Wicomico River, with cases reported across 12 states as of October 19; see also this multi-state outbreak report. Little Wicomico Oyster Company recalled oysters harvested September 18 through October 8, and federal and state officials are investigating the illnesses.
The Pennsylvania agriculture department said the illnesses are associated with oysters harvested from the Little Wicomico River and Little Wicomico River, Lower, by Little Wicomico Oyster Company, identified as VA-1421-SP. The source report says patients were identified in 12 states; it does not give the number of people hospitalized or provide a breakdown of cases by state.
The company recalled oysters harvested from September 18 through October 8, contacted its customers, stopped harvesting in the affected area and is cooperating with public health officials. The Virginia Department of Health temporarily closed the river to shellfish harvesting effective October 9, 2026, similar to the river closure in another shellfish outbreak. The closure applies to harvesting in the affected area while the investigation proceeds.
The Food and Drug Administration advises restaurants and food retailers not to serve or sell the recalled oysters and consumers not to eat them, as with other foods linked to Salmonella outbreaks, including eggs used in a recalled meal. The oysters were distributed to restaurants and retailers in California, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Missouri, North Carolina, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia, and may have been distributed farther. Businesses should discard the affected product or contact their distributor to arrange destruction.
Recall Reaches Buyers in 17 Markets
The recall affects more than the harvest location: the product went to food businesses in 17 listed states and the District of Columbia, and officials say it may have been distributed beyond those destinations. That reach means a restaurant or retailer could still have oysters from the affected harvest period, even if it is not near the Virginia river. The guidance is direct: do not serve, sell or eat the recalled oysters.
Oysters can carry foodborne pathogens without appearing spoiled. The FDA says contaminated food may not look, smell or taste unusual, so appearance is not a reliable way to decide whether the recalled product is safe. The concern is particularly serious for young children, older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems, who face a greater risk of severe illness from Salmonella.
The case count also underscores why foodborne illness investigations involve public health agencies at multiple levels. Officials are connecting reported illnesses to a particular harvest area and product, while the recall and temporary harvest closure aim to limit further exposure. The available report does not establish how many additional illnesses may emerge or whether every case has been confirmed through laboratory testing.
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Harvest Dates and River Closure
The outbreak involves Salmonella Telelkebir, a Salmonella strain identified in the cases under investigation. Pennsylvania officials associated the illnesses with oysters from the Little Wicomico River and the lower portion of the river. The recall covers oysters harvested during a defined period, September 18 to October 8, 2026; it does not identify all oysters from the company as affected regardless of harvest date.
The Virginia Department of Health’s temporary closure took effect on October 9, after the recalled harvest window began. Little Wicomico Oyster Company has stopped harvesting from the affected area, according to the report. The company’s recall and the state’s closure are separate actions: one removes identified product from sale, while the other suspends harvesting at the source during the response.
The CDC, FDA and relevant state authorities are investigating a cluster of 27 Salmonella Telelkebir illnesses. The FDA said it was first notified of the outbreak by the CDC and is working with the CDC and assisting state authorities as needed. The report does not provide a detailed timeline for when the first illnesses began or when the individual cases were diagnosed.
Case Details Still Developing
The report gives a total of 27 patients across 12 states as of October 19, but does not identify the states in which cases occurred, provide patients’ ages, or say how many people were hospitalized. It also does not report any deaths. The number of patients should not be read as a final total while the investigation remains active.
Officials have linked the illnesses to oysters from the named harvest area, but the available information does not explain the evidence used to establish that connection, such as testing results for specific oyster samples. It is also unclear whether any recalled oysters remain in restaurants, retail storage or consumers’ homes, or how far any further distribution may have reached.
The report does not give a date for when the river closure might be lifted or say whether investigators have identified the source of contamination. Those details may change as agencies trace the product and review new reports of illness.
Tracing Product and Illnesses
The CDC, FDA and state authorities are continuing the outbreak investigation, while the company has stopped harvesting in the affected area and says it is cooperating with officials. The Virginia Department of Health’s temporary closure remains a key control measure; the source material does not give a reopening date or conditions for ending the closure.
Restaurants and retailers should check inventory and distribution records for Little Wicomico Oyster Company oysters harvested from September 18 through October 8. The FDA advises businesses to discard affected product or contact their distributor about destruction. Consumers who have the recalled oysters should not eat them.
Anyone who ate the affected oysters and develops symptoms should seek medical attention and tell their health care provider about the possible Salmonella exposure. The FDA says symptoms can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever, typically beginning 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Further updates may clarify case numbers, distribution and the status of the shellfish-harvesting closure.
Key Questions
How many illnesses have been reported?
As of October 19, 2026, Pennsylvania officials had identified 27 Salmonella Telelkebir patients across 12 states. The report does not provide a state-by-state count or say how many patients were hospitalized.
Which oysters are included in the recall?
The recall covers oysters from Little Wicomico Oyster Company (VA-1421-SP) harvested in the Little Wicomico River from September 18 through October 8, 2026. Consumers should not eat these oysters; restaurants and retailers should not serve or sell them.
Where were the recalled oysters distributed?
The FDA listed California, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Missouri, North Carolina, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia. The agency said the oysters may have been distributed further.
What should someone do after eating the oysters?
Anyone who ate the recalled oysters and develops symptoms should seek medical care and tell the provider about the possible Salmonella exposure. Symptoms can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever, often starting 12 to 72 hours after exposure. This information does not replace advice from a health professional.
Are oysters from the river still being harvested?
The Virginia Department of Health temporarily closed the Little Wicomico River to shellfish harvesting effective October 9, 2026. Little Wicomico Oyster Company said it stopped harvesting in the affected area. The source report does not say when the closure may be lifted.
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