Seven people have been hospitalised in the last 24 hours with serious cases of toxic shellfish poisoning.
Since August there have been warnings about paralytic shellfish toxins from Coromandel to the Bay of Plenty. However some have ignored the warnings and continued to eat the contaminated shellfish.
Medical Officer of Public Health at Tauranga Hospital, Dr Phill Shoemack says cases seen at the hospital in the past day are a stark reminder of the risk.
"These people between them experience everything from some tingling around the mouth and face, unusual sensations in the hands and arms, a couple of them are quite unsteady on their feet.
"One has very, very low heart rates, and one of them also had quite severe diarrhoea and vomiting."
