2013 Colchester Oyster Feast source of outbreak

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The Colchester Oyster Feast is kind of a big deal. Dating back to the 14th century and boasting a couple of to-be-kings as former guests (King Edward VIII and King George VI) it is the place to be in October. The event even has its own Wikipedia page.

And in 2013, it also was the source of an outbreak.1891cs

According to the Essex County Standard, 54 attendees became ill after eating Irish oysters at the annual festival.

A total of 200 guests attended the civic event at Colchester’s Moot Hall last October.
Within days, 13 guests reported they were unwell and an investigation was launched by Public Health England.

Questionnaires were sent out and 54 people reported they had been sick, including Colchester Council chief executive Adrian Pritchard.

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About Ben Chapman

Dr. Ben Chapman is a professor and food safety extension specialist at North Carolina State University. As a teenager, a Saturday afternoon viewing of the classic cable movie, Outbreak, sparked his interest in pathogens and public health. With the goal of less foodborne illness, his group designs, implements, and evaluates food safety strategies, messages, and media from farm-to-fork. Through reality-based research, Chapman investigates behaviors and creates interventions aimed at amateur and professional food handlers, managers, and organizational decision-makers; the gate keepers of safe food. Ben co-hosts a biweekly podcast called Food Safety Talk and tries to further engage folks online through Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and, maybe not surprisingly, Pinterest. Follow on Twitter @benjaminchapman.