SEATTLE, WA - King County health officials say that 39 people have been sickened over the last few months by a foodborne illness traced to raw oysters served at restaurants around the area.

The illnesses, which resemble norovirus, have been reported over a period of about two months - between Jan. 10 and March 20 - by diners who ate at 11 different restaurants and one private event. Although the county has not had laboratory confirmation that the illnesses are norovirus, an extremely common foodborne illness, officials took the occasion to warn that consuming raw oysters puts you at risk of contracting the virus.

Norovirus is an extremely contagious disease that spreads easily between people and causes nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. In recent months, restaurants and schools around Puget Sound have closed due to suspected norovirus contamination. The virus tends to spread more easily in winter because people are in close quarters.