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According to the Gloucester County Health Department a food handler at an Olive Garden restaurant in Gloucester County tested positive for Hepatitis A.

The employee at the Olive Garden at 1500 Almonesson Road in Deptford worked while infected between Dec. 26 and 30, according to the announcement.

Hepatitis A is a viral illness with symptoms including abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, tiredness, poor appetite, jaundice and dark urine, county officials advised. Symptoms usually appear within two to seven weeks after exposure.

Anyone who previously received a Hepatitis A vaccine is not at risk, the county said. Those who are unvaccinated face a low risk, but the risk may be lowered further by getting vaccinated within two weeks of exposure, officials said.

Those who are unvaccinated and believe they may have been exposed are encouraged to contact their health care provider.

The county is working with the restaurant to vaccinate potentially exposed co-workers, officials said.

“Gloucester County Department of Health is working closely with the New Jersey Department of Health and the restaurant facility to protect the public and prevent further spread of disease,” officials stated.

Hepatitis A infection has been diagnosed in a server at Lolita’s Bar and Grill located at 472 Buford Drive in Lawrenceville, GA. Individuals who ate at the restaurant from Oct. 24 – Nov. 7 may have been exposed to the infection and should contact their healthcare provider or the Gwinnett County Health Department to determine if a hepatitis A vaccine is needed to prevent illness.

Hepatitis A vaccine is available at the Gwinnett County Health Department to exposed individuals with no out-of-pocket cost, regardless of insurance status.

Hepatitis A is a contagious viral infection that can cause loss of appetite, nausea, tiredness, fever, stomach pain, brown colored urine, light-colored stools and yellowing of the skin or eyes. Symptoms usually begin 2 – 7 weeks after exposure and generally last less than 2 months but can last as long as 6 months. Some individuals with severe symptoms of hepatitis A require hospitalization.

Hepatitis A spreads when a person unknowingly ingests the virus from objects, food or drinks contaminated by small, undetected amounts of stool from an infected person. Hepatitis A can be spread when restaurant workers infected with hepatitis A don’t wash their hands thoroughly after using the bathroom.

Anyone who consumed food or drink at Lolita’s Bar and Grill from Oct.24 – Nov. 7 is asked to:

  1. Seek hepatitis A vaccination within 14 days of exposure if you have not previously been vaccinated for or had hepatitis A. If you have been vaccinated or have had hepatitis A previously, you are considered immune and do not need vaccine.
  2. Wash your hands with soap and warm water frequently and thoroughly, especially after using the bathroom and before preparing food.
  3. Monitor your health for symptoms of hepatitis A infection up to 50 days after exposure.

If you develop symptoms of hepatitis A, stay home and contact your healthcare provider or the health department immediately.

The restaurant has been cooperative with the health department’s investigation and has taken proactive measures including scheduling immunizations for susceptible employees and thoroughly cleaning and sanitizing the restaurant. Education on prevention of Hepatitis A transmission has also been provided.

Individuals with questions should call their healthcare provider or the Gwinnett County Health Department at 770-339-4260 (press 0 and ask to speak with the epidemiologist on call). An epidemiologist can also be reached after hours at 404-323-1910 or 866-PUB-HLTH

The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention has identified a case of hepatitis A in a food service worker at a Portland restaurant.

Hepatitis A is a contagious liver disease that can spread through person-to-person contact or contaminated food.

The Maine CDC says the worker was infectious at the Green Elephant Bistro in Portland during the following times:

  • 9/21 (dinner only)
  • 9/23 (lunch and dinner)
  • 9/24 (dinner only)
  • 9/27 (dinner only)
  • 9/28 (lunch and dinner)
  • 9/30 (lunch and dinner)
  • 10/1 (dinner only)
  • 10/4 (dinner only)
  • 10/5 (dinner only)

Customers who ate inside the restaurant during these times could be at risk for hepatitis A.

Pontiac, Mich. Sept. 21, 2023 – Oakland County Health Division is providing an update on the suspected case of hepatitis A associated with the Ivy Lounge at Pine Knob Music Theatre in Clarkston: the case was confirmed by MDHHS Laboratory. The Health Division advises all season members, their guests and staff who consumed food at the Ivy Lounge between Aug. 26 – Sept. 8 to monitor for symptoms, and if unvaccinated for hepatitis A, to get vaccinated as soon as possible. 

“The window for vaccination to help prevent illness from hepatitis A is through tomorrow for those individuals who attended the Jason Aldean concert and ate at the Ivy Lounge,” said Dr. Russell Faust, Oakland County medical director. “For anyone who is not vaccinated for hepatitis A, we encourage getting vaccination to protect against future exposures.” 

For people who were possibly exposed to hepatitis A from Aug. 26 – Sept. 8 at the Ivy Lounge, below is a breakdown of exposure dates: 

Exposure date 

Aug. 26 (Lynyrd Skynyrd concert) 

Aug. 29 (Arctic Monkeys concert) 

Aug. 30 (Foreigner concert) 

Sept. 1 (Disturbed concert) 

Sept. 2 (Beck and Phoenix concert) 

Sept. 3 (Pentatonix concert)

Sept. 5 (Rob Zombie concert)

Sept. 6 (Smashing Pumpkins concert) 

Sept. 8 (Jason Aldean concert) 

All individuals potentially exposed should watch for hepatitis A symptoms and contact your healthcare provider if you become ill to report you have a known hepatitis A exposure. 

Hepatitis A is an infection of the liver caused by a virus. The virus is shed in feces and is most commonly spread from person to person by contaminated hands. Symptoms include sudden abdominal pain, fatigue, diarrhea, nausea, headache, dark urine, and vomiting followed by yellowing of the skin and eyes. Symptoms may appear from two to six weeks after exposure, with the average time being about one month. In rare cases of hepatitis A infection, those with a pre-existing severe illness or a compromised immune system can progress to liver failure. 

To reduce the risk of contracting hepatitis A: 

  • Wash hands frequently, especially after using the bathroom, changing diapers, and before preparing and eating food. Rub hands vigorously with soap and warm running water for at least 20 seconds. Handwashing is essential and one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of infection. 
  • Clean and disinfect all surface areas if someone in the household or workplace has symptoms, especially areas such as toilets, sinks, trashcans, doorknobs, and faucet handles. 
  • Do not prepare food if you have symptoms and refrain from food preparation for at least three days after symptoms have ended, or two weeks after onset of clinical symptoms, whichever is longer. 
  • Get the hepatitis A vaccine. It is available through some health care providers, Health Division offices and many pharmacies. Call ahead to ensure your health care provider or pharmacy has the vaccine available. 

Health Division offices are located at the following addresses: 

  • North Oakland Health Center, 1200 N. Telegraph Road, Building 34 East, Pontiac
  • South Oakland Health Center, 27725 Greenfield Road, Southfield 

If you have insurance, check with your health care/insurance provider for possible benefit coverage. No one will be denied access to services due to inability to pay. A discounted/sliding fee schedule is available. Vaccine fees are charged to individuals who are not eligible for federal and/or state programs that cover vaccination costs. Payment options include cash and credit card. The Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program offers vaccines at no cost for eligible children up to 18-years-old. 

More information about hepatitis A can be found on the Health Division’s website at oakgov.com/health or by contacting Nurse on Call at 800-848-5533 or noc@oakgov.com. Regular Nurse on Call hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. For up-to-date public health information, follow @publichealthOC on Facebook and X (formally known as Twitter). 

For media inquiries only please contact Bill Mullan, Oakland County media and communications officer, at 248- 858-1048. 

Ten people in Washington, Oregon, California and Hawaii have contracted Hepatitis A linked to the consumption of frozen strawberries. Epidemiologic and traceback evidence indicate that frozen organic strawberries, imported fresh from certain farms located in Baja California, Mexico in 2022, are the source of this outbreak. The hepatitis A virus strain causing illnesses in this outbreak is genetically identical to the strain that caused a foodborne hepatitis A outbreak in 2022, which was linked to fresh organic strawberries imported from Baja California, Mexico, and sold at various retailers.

In response to this investigation, California Splendor, Inc. of San Diego, California voluntarily recalled certain lots of 4-lb. bags of Kirkland Signature Frozen Organic Whole Strawberries that were sold at Costco stores in Los Angeles, California; Hawaii; and two San Diego, California business centers. The lots subject to this recall include: 140962-08, 142222-23, 142792-54, 142862-57, 142912-59, 142162-20, 142202-21, 142782-53, 142852-56, 142902-58, 142212-22, 142232-24, 142842-55. In response to this investigation, Scenic Fruit Company of Gresham, Oregon voluntarily recalled frozen organic strawberries, sold to Costco, Trader Joe’s, Aldi, KeHE, Vital Choice Seafood, and PCC Community Markets in certain states. 

Other products subject to this recall include: 

California Splendor, Inc. Recall

Scenic Fruit Company Recall

Meijer Recall

Wawona Recall

Willamette Valley Fruit Co. Recall

As of June 12, 2023, a total of 9 outbreak-associated cases of hepatitis A have been reported from 3 states – Washington, Oregon and California.

Illnesses started on dates ranging from November 24, 2022, to April 12, 2023. Ill people range in age from 38 to 64 years, with a median age of 56 years. Thirty-three percent of ill people are female. Of 9 people with available information, 3 (33%) have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.

Epidemiologic and traceback evidence indicate that frozen organic strawberries, imported fresh from certain farms located in Baja California, Mexico in 2022, are the likely source of this outbreak. The hepatitis A virus strain causing illnesses in this outbreak is genetically identical to the strain that caused a foodborne hepatitis A outbreak in 2022, which was linked to fresh organic strawberries imported from Baja California, Mexico, and sold at various retailers.

In interviews, ill people answered questions about the foods they ate and other exposures in the 2 to 7 weeks before they became ill. Of people who were interviewed, 9/9 (100%) reported eating frozen organic strawberries. This proportion was significantly higher than results from a survey of healthy people in which 24% reported eating frozen berries in the week before they were interviewed.

In response to this investigation, California Splendor, Inc. of San Diego, California voluntarily recalled certain lots of 4-lb. bags of Kirkland Signature Frozen Organic Whole Strawberries that were sold at Costco stores in Los Angeles, California; Hawaii; and two San Diego, California business centers. The lots subject to this recall include: 140962-08, 142222-23, 142792-54, 142862-57, 142912-59, 142162-20, 142202-21, 142782-53, 142852-56, 142902-58, 142212-22, 142232-24, 142842-55.

In response to this investigation, Scenic Fruit Company of Gresham, Oregon voluntarily recalled frozen organic strawberries, sold to Costco, Trader Joe’s, Aldi, KeHE, Vital Choice Seafood, and PCC Community Markets in certain states. Products subject to this recall include:

Brand NameProduct NameNet Wt.UPCBest By Date, Best If Use Date, Best Before DateDistributed in States
Simply NatureOrganic Strawberries24 oz.40991002562226/14/2024Arizona,
Arkansas,
California,
Illinois,
Iowa,
Michigan,
Minnesota,
Missouri,
North Dakota,
Ohio,
South Dakota,
Wisconsin
Vital ChoiceOrganic Strawberries16 oz.8342970050245/20/2024Washington
Kirkland SignatureOrganic Strawberries4 lbs.9661914040410/8/2024Alaska,
Idaho,
Montana,
Oregon,
Utah,
Washington
Made WithOrganic Strawberries10 oz.81434302139011/20/2024Illinois,
Maryland
PCC Community MarketsOrganic Strawberries32 oz.2282710946929/10/2024Washington
Trader Joe’sOrganic Tropical Fruit Blend Pineapple, Bananas, Strawberries & Mango16 oz.0051191904/25/24,
05/12/24,
05/23/24,
05/30/24,
06/07/24
Nationwide

On March 17, 2023, a retailer, Meijer, also issued press to voluntarily recall Made-With brand frozen organic strawberries from certain market store locations.

In response to this investigation, on June 7, 2023, Wawona Frozen Foods of Clovis, California, initiated a voluntary recallof year-old packages of Wawona brand Organic DayBreak Blend 4-lb. bags that were distributed to Costco Wholesale stores in Arizona, California, Colorado, Utah, and Washington from April 15, 2022, to June 26, 2022, with “Use By” dates of 9/23/2023, 9/29/2023, 9/30/2023, and 10/18/2023:

Best If Used By 09/23/2023Best If Used By 09/29/2023Best If Used By 09/30/2023Best If Used By 10/18/2023
Affected Lot Codes:Affected Lot Codes:Affected Lot Codes:Affected Lot Codes:
20082D0420088D0420089D0920108D04
20082D0520088D0520089D1020108D05
20082D0620088D0620089D1120108D06
20082D0720088D0720089D1220108D07
20082D0820088D0820108D08
20088D09
20088D10
20088D11
20088D12

FDA’s investigation is ongoing; additional products might be included in the future.

Patagonia Food LLC, of San Luis Obispo, CA, is recalling certain frozen blackberries because of possible hepatitis A contamination.

According to the company recall posted by the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), the recall was initiated on March 17 and is ongoing. There is concern that consumers may have the frozen fruit in their home freezers.

The recalled blackberries were distributed in California, Oregon, Nebraska, Texas, Washington and Nevada.

Recalled product:

Product DescriptionRecall NumberClassificationCode InformationProduct QuantityReason for Recall
Patagonia Foods 3610100 Blackberry IQF Product of Mexico Net Wt. 30 LBS. (13.61 kg) Production/Lot Code 20422 Distributed By: Patagonia Foods, LLC. San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 patagoniafoods.comF-0760-2023Class ILot Code: 20422Possible Hepatitis A in blackberries

CDC, state public health and regulatory officials, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are investigating an outbreak of hepatitis A linked to frozen organic strawberries imported from certain farms located in Baja California, Mexico, by a common supplier. Frozen organic strawberries may be sold to a variety of retailers under multiple brand labels. Traceback and epidemiological investigations show that people with outbreak-associated cases in Washington purchased the same retail brand of frozen organic strawberries prior to becoming ill.

As of March 20, 2023, a total of 5 outbreak-associated cases of hepatitis A have been reported from 1 state.

Illnesses started on dates ranging from November 24, 2022, to December 27, 2022. Ill people range in age from 38 to 61 years, with a median age of 52 years. Forty percent of ill people are female. Of 5 people with available information, 2 (40%) have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.

Epidemiologic and traceback evidence indicate that frozen organic strawberries, imported fresh from certain farms located in Baja California, Mexico in 2022, are the likely source of this outbreak. The hepatitis A virus strain causing illnesses in this outbreak is genetically identical to the strain that caused a foodborne hepatitis A outbreak in 2022, which was linked to fresh organic strawberries imported from Baja California, Mexico, and sold at various retailers.

In interviews, ill people answered questions about the foods they ate and other exposures in the 2 to 7 weeks before they became ill. Of people who were interviewed, all of them reported eating frozen organic strawberries. This proportion was significantly higher than results from a survey of healthy people in which 24% reported eating frozen berries in the week before they were interviewed.

In response to this investigation, California Splendor, Inc. of San Diego, California voluntarily recalled certain lots of 4-lb. bags of Kirkland Signature Frozen Organic Whole Strawberries that were sold at Costco stores in Los Angeles, California; Hawaii; and two San Diego, California business centers. The lots subject to this recall include: 140962-08, 142222-23, 142792-54, 142862-57, 142912-59, 142162-20, 142202-21, 142782-53, 142852-56, 142902-58, 142212-22, 142232-24, 142842-55.

In response to this investigation, Scenic Fruit Company of Gresham, Oregon voluntarily recalled frozen organic strawberries, sold to Costco, Trader Joe’s, Aldi, KeHE, Vital Choice Seafood, and PCC Community Markets in certain states. Products subject to this recall include:

Brand NameProduct NameNet Wt.UPCBest By Date, Best If Use Date, Best Before DateDistributed in States
Simply NatureOrganic Strawberries24 oz.40991002562226/14/2024Arizona,
Arkansas,
California,
Illinois,
Iowa,
Michigan,
Minnesota,
Missouri,
North Dakota,
Ohio,
South Dakota,
Wisconsin
Vital ChoiceOrganic Strawberries16 oz.8342970050245/20/2024Washington
Kirkland SignatureOrganic Strawberries4 lbs.9661914040410/8/2024Alaska,
Idaho,
Montana,
Oregon,
Utah,
Washington
Made WithOrganic Strawberries10 oz.81434302139011/20/2024Illinois,
Maryland
PCC Community MarketsOrganic Strawberries32 oz.2282710946929/10/2024Washington
Trader Joe’sOrganic Tropical Fruit Blend Pineapple, Bananas, Strawberries & Mango16 oz.0051191904/25/24,
05/12/24,
05/23/24,
05/30/24,
06/07/24
Nationwide

On March 17, 2023, a retailer, Meijer, also issued press to voluntarily recall Made-With brand frozen organic strawberries from certain market store locations.

According to the CDC, when hearing about hepatitis A, many people think about contaminated food and water. However, in the United States, hepatitis A is more commonly spread from person to person. Since March 2017, CDC’s Division of Viral Hepatitis (DVH) has been assisting multiple state and local health departments with hepatitis A outbreaks, spread through person-to-person contact.

The Roanoke Times reports: The victims of a hepatitis A outbreak at a Roanoke restaurant — which killed four people and sickened more than 40 — were allowed Thursday to broaden their legal claims.

When the illness first struck customers of Famous Anthony’s late last summer, it was believed that an infected employee inadvertently spread the virus to food they ate at the restaurant’s Grandin Road Extension and Williamson Road locations.

Further investigation has determined that in addition to contaminating the food, the employee also touched surfaces such as doorknobs, tables and menus. Some customers who later came into contact with those surfaces were likely infected, according to Bill Marler, a Seattle attorney who represents many of them.

“There is as much evidence that this was surface contamination as it was food contamination,” Marler said during a hearing Thursday in Roanoke’s federal court.

At the request of the plaintiffs’ attorneys — and over the objections of Famous Anthony’s insurance carrier, Cincinnati Insurance Co. — Judge Michael Urbanski allowed the victims to amend their earlier complaints to include both sources of the illness.

Cincinnati, which had earlier agreed to cover claims of food contamination, argued that the plaintiffs’ request to broaden the scope was “a theory in search of evidence.”

But in granting a motion made by Marler and other attorneys to amend the complaints, Urbanski said it may never be known how each diner at the restaurants came down with hepatitis A.

“This case needs to go forward,” he said. “It needs to be resolved. And I intend to do that.”

People who were sickened, and the family members of those who died, have filed about 40 lawsuits against Famous Anthony’s in state court. Those legal claims were put on hold in January, when the restaurant filed for bankruptcy.

In all likelihood, the lawsuits will not be decided by a judge or jury. Instead, a medical claims evaluator appointed by the bankruptcy court will determine how much each person should receive from a pool of insurance money.

When a dispute surfaced over whether the coverage limit is $7 million as Cincinnati contends, or $14 million as the plaintiffs argue, that question was removed to U.S. District Court in Roanoke.

Urbanski must now decide whether the policy allows for $7 million in total, or whether that amount should apply to each of the two restaurants where the outbreak occurred. Once that question is resolved, the matter will be returned to bankruptcy court for the distribution of money to the victims.

Cincinnati agreed early this year to pay $7 million to settle the case, according to the company’s attorney, James Humphreys. But that offer was rejected by the plaintiffs.

Since then, the case has been complicated further by a dispute over whether the claims should be limited to food contamination, or include surface contamination or a combination of the two.

The insurance company argues that expanding the case beyond food as the source of the illness raises questions about liability and coverage that it cannot determine at this point.

But the victims are also in the dark about the outbreak, Marler said, because they have not been able to acquire information from the legal process of discovery since their lawsuits were stayed by the bankruptcy proceedings.

The Virginia Heath Department’s Roanoke office has said the virus was spread, beginning in late summer 2021, by an employee who worked at three Famous Anthony’s locations. Patrons became sick at the Grandin and Williamson road eateries, but not at the third.

At the time, the unidentified worker did not know that he or she had hepatitis A, which generally does not produce symptoms for the first two weeks, which is also the period in which it is most contagious.

Microscopic amounts of fecal matter from the employee, who is suspected of inadequate hand-washing after using the bathroom, was spread to food and restaurant surfaces and then to customers.

The employee had multiple duties, which included working as a cook, waiting on tables and greeting customers as they came into the restaurants.

Hepatitis A causes liver inflammation. At least two Famous Anthony’s customers became so ill that they required liver transplants.

“It has been a year since this tragic outbreak,” Marler said. “Many of my clients were either getting out of the hospital or burying loved ones at this time a year ago.”