(KGTV) -- An outbreak of gastrointestinal illnesses in California is prompting the Department of Public Health to warn consumers to avoid eating certain raw oysters.
According to the department, the oysters were harvested from Estero El Cardon in Baja California Sur, Mexico.
So far in California, 12 people have reported illness between February and April after eating the raw oysters.
The oysters were sold at restaurants and retailers in San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange, and Santa Barbara Counties and distributed throughout the state.
Some of the pathogens found to be inside the oysters include Shigella flexneri and norovirus.
Restaurants and retailers are urged to check their inventory and shellfish tags to identify the source of the oysters.
California residents who become sick after eating oysters should visit their doctors, according to the department.
If you do eat shellfish, the department recommends cooking it until it reaches an internal temperature of at least 145 degrees.
