WINDHOEK, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Namibia has closed down the Walvis Bay Aquapark 4 production area for oyster harvesting as well as banning the sale and consumption of raw oysters after detecting Vibrio Parahaemolyticus bacteria, a food-borne pathogen that causes diarrhoea, officials said in a statement Tuesday.

According to Deputy Director of Aquaculture, Johannes Hamukwaya, it is potentially unsafe to consume oysters from Aquapark 4 until further notice.

"The symptoms of vibrio poisoning are acute dysentery and abdominal pain, accompanied by diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, fever, chills and water-like stools. When any of these symptoms appear, seek immediate medical assistance," he said.

According to information from the fisheries ministry, oysters have been produced commercially in Namibia since the late 1980s when commercial oyster farms were established while much of Namibia's oysters are exported to Europe, South Africa and Asia, where Hong Kong and China are the most important importers and consumers of Namibian oysters.

Namibian oysters can range in size from 30 grams (cocktail oysters) to 150 grams (full maturity). Enditem

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