County health sleuths have issued a red flag on some raw oysters from Mexico, fingering them as the likely culprits in a norovirus outbreak that has hit 41 locals, the County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) reports. After noshing on these shellfish at a few Southern California eateries, dozens of diners got more than they bargained for, coming down with a nasty bout of nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea linked to a harvest location in Sonora, Mexico.

The norovirus scare, which started to bubble up in December, has health officials urging restaurants to hold off on serving "Rocky Point oysters" packed by GOLPAC of Bahia Salina, Sonora, while they sniff out the problem, these oysters have been traced to be part of the outbreak and were offered up at The Fish Shop locations in Pacific Beach, Point Loma, and Encinitas, as well as Carlsbad Aquafarm, with the worry that more spots might turn up in the ongoing probe. The sick ranged from 12 to 83 years old, and though they managed to dodge hospital stays, a few non-oyster-eating family members also got hit, likely from the bug spreading at home.

Notoriously, raw oysters can harbor a nasty lineup of germs like Vibrio, Shigella, and E. coli—and now, norovirus has joined the party according to County News Center. Knocking you off your feet 12 to 48 hours after you've downed contaminated grub, norovirus brings a misery medley of symptoms, and while it typically clears up within 1-3 days, it's no picnic, especially if dehydration steps in, which can happen fast in kids, seniors, and those with existing health issues.

The HHSA is teaming up with the Shellfish Program of the California Department of Public Health to get to the bottom of the outbreak, and suggests anyone feeling under the weather after a shellfish shindig should make a beeline for their doctor; health nuts and victims can ring (858) 505-6814 or drop an email to [email protected] to report symptoms. For those looking to brush up on their seafood safety smarts or get the skinny on norovirus, the county's got the lowdown on their website.