Los Cabos Seafood Advisory Issued For Tourists 

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Last Updated 11 months ago

Many Los Cabos visitors like to enjoy a nice seafood dinner during their vacation, and there are a lot of seafood restaurants to choose from. 

But a new seafood advisory has been issued, warning Los Cabos tourists that a number of seafood items should be avoided due to a toxin that was found in them. 

The items that fall into this category are certain types of mollusks, specifically clams, mussels, and oysters. 

The Warning 

The warning to avoid these types of seafood was issued by the State Commission for Protection Against Health Risks and the Municipal Director of Health. 

In the warning, it states that a sampling showed a certain marine toxin, called saxitoxin, in oysters harvested off of the coast of Comondu. 

As a result, they advised that the seafood items mentioned should be avoided until a new sampling is analyzed. 

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Marine Toxins 

There are a number of different kinds of marine toxins that can contaminate seafood and cause various foodborne illnesses. 

Often one cannot even tell if the seafood they’re eating has been contaminated because it can still smell, look, and taste completely normal. 

Saxitoxin, which is the toxin that was found in the seafood in this case, is a toxin that specifically affects shellfish. 

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The Danger 

While the effects of eating shellfish contaminated with saxitoxin are rarely deadly, some of the symptoms of the foodborne illness caused by it can be pretty scary. 

Symptoms range from common gastrointestinal ailments to weakness, tingling, and even temporary paralysis. 

In very rare cases, sufferers of food-borne illness caused by seafood contaminated with the toxin have even had to seek medical help for respiratory complications. 

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Other Seafood  

There has been no warning by health officials regarding any other types of seafood. 

This is because the toxins that affect shellfish don’t always affect other types of fish and seafood. 

Visitors dining at Los Cabos seafood restaurants can still enjoy shrimp and fish, which are the more common types of seafood served at restaurants in the region. 

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Seafood In Los Cabos Restaurants 

Restaurant owners have been made aware of the situation regarding the tainted seafood, so it’s likely that you won’t find these items currently being offered. 

If you do, it might be better to steer clear unless you have heard or read that the warning has been lifted. 

For now, the Municipal Director of Health, Juan Carlos Costich Pérez, commented that they “will wait for the result of this second sampling to see if this prevention continues or if the alert is lifted.” 

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Other Food That Can Cause Illnesses In Los Cabos 

In addition to avoiding the contaminated seafood mentioned in this warning, there are some other foods that visitors should always watch out for while in Los Cabos. 

Specifically, it is important to pay attention to what you’re getting from street food carts and stalls. 

Meat can go bad very quickly in hot temperatures if not refrigerated right, so if you see it sitting out, you should find another food cart. It’s also common to see fruit being offered by street vendors, which can cause foodborne illness if not properly washed, so eating it can also be risky.   

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Getting Sick On Vacation 

The last thing you want to do on a Los Cabos vacation that you likely paid a lot of money for is get sick and be stuck in your hotel room, or worse. 

This is a common worry for many vacationers.  But getting sick from foodborne illness caused by these particular types of shellfish is one thing that can be avoided if you take precautions.