Hepatitis A Lawyer & Attorney : Marler Clark : Hepatitis A Blog

By JOE MANDAK, Associated Press Writer

PITTSBURGH -- Bankrupt Chi-Chi's Inc. and its subsidiaries have tentatively agreed to pay $800,000 to compensate nearly 9,500 people who got inoculated because of a hepatitis outbreak linked to a western Pennsylvania restaurant.

The Associated Press obtained a copy of the class action settlement agreement, which must still be filed in federal bankruptcy court in Delaware, from William Marler, a Seattle attorney who represents the plaintiffs' class.

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Friday, April 29, 2005
By 13News

Patrons of Alice Mae's Soul Food Restaurant who may have been exposed to Hepatitis A and haven't been treated yet have a chance to do so this weekend.

The Norfolk Health Department will be open Saturday and Sunday mornings because there's been a big demand, officials said Friday.

Not all patrons have to worry about exposure. There is only concern if you were at the restaurant after 5:00 p.m. on April 16 through the 19th and drank an iced beverage or ate cornbread.

HOURS:

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By Jennifer Heldt Powell

A hepatitis A scare last summer is providing an expensive lesson to Friendly's Ice Cream Corp.

The company plans to pay $200 each to up to 3,000 people who stood in line, some for hours, for shots to protect them from the disease after eating at an Arlington Friendly's.

The payments to settle a class-action lawsuit could add up to $645,000, including lawyers fees.

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4/29/2005

Knox County health officials say the hepatitis-A case at Powell High School isn't connected to an outbreak of at least 18 other cases in surrounding counties.

Officials suspect the student got the disease while on a mission trip to Guatemala.

Knox County schools spokesman Russ Oaks says Powell High School administrators sent home a letter to parents, explaining the situation Thursday.

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Case not connected with recent ones
By ANSLEY HAMAN, hamana@knews.com
April 29, 2005

A Powell High School student tested positive for hepatitis A on Thursday, but Knox County Health Department officials said the case is not connected with recent ones in surrounding counties.

The student received confirmation of the viral disease, which health officials suspect he contracted on a mission trip to Guatemala, said Charity Menefee, Health Department spokeswoman.

The student's pediatrician alerted the Health Department early in the week of the possible case. An investigation ensued, but no precautions were taken until the student received confirmation of the results around noon Thursday.

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By JODY RECORD
Union Leader Correspondent

HAMPTON -- A suspected case of hepatitis A is being investigated by the state after receiving a report of a fast-food restaurant employee showing similar symptoms of the disease.

Dr. Jose Montero of the Public Health Office in Concord confirmed yesterday tests are being done on "a food worker from a food establishment" for a possible case of hepatitis A. He described symptoms as including nausea, vomiting and a yellowing of the skin.

"There's no diagnosis of hepatitis A in a person, but there is a person who is suspicious," Montero said. "The person was not working today. They have been tested."

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4/27/2005

A restaurant worker in Scott County is among those confirmed with hepatitis-A in East Tennessee.

But health officials say they don't believe the viral liver disease was spread to people who ate at the restaurant.

There have been 18 cases of hepatitis-A reported in Anderson, Campbell and Scott counties.

One of those was an employee at a Waffle House in Clinton.

The health department set up an emergency clinic last week and vaccinated more than 1,500 people who ate at the Waffle House.

Health officials don't believe vaccinations are needed for people who ate at the Scott County restaurant.

They would not identify the business.

The health department has not been able to find the source of the outbreak.

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Anthony E. Fiore
Division of Viral Hepatitis, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta

Hepatitis A is caused by hepatitis A virus (HAV). Transmission occurs by the fecal-oral route, either by direct contact with an HAV-infected person or by ingestion of HAV-contaminated food or water. Foodborne or waterborne hepatitis A outbreaks are relatively uncommon in the United States. However, food handlers with hepatitis A are frequently identified, and evaluation of the need for immunoprophylaxis and implementation of control measures are a considerable burden on public health resources. In addition, HAV-contaminated food may be the source of hepatitis A for an unknown proportion of persons whose source of infection is not identified.

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Martin I. Meltzer - Craig N. Shapiro - Eric E. Mast and Christine Arcari

Office of the Director, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Mailstop D-59, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA
Hepatitis Branch, Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA

Received 4 February 2000; revised 26 July 2000; accepted 26 September 2000 Available online 22 February 2001.

The economics of vaccinating restaurant workers against hepatitis A were studied using Monte Carlo simulation models, one with a restaurant-owner perspective, and one with a societal perspective. The restaurant model allowed for a different size, number of employees and employee turnover rate. Benefits were the avoidance of loss of business (including the possibility of bankruptcy) after publicity linking the restaurant to an outbreak associated with a case of hepatitis A in a food handler.

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Opinion Editorial
William D. Marler
April 27, 2005

In the last two weeks 1,200 High School and Elementary School students from Stockton, California, 5,000 patrons of a Clinton, Tennessee Waffle House, and thousands who ate a Norfolk, Virgina Soul Food Restaurant all have something in common -- all are being urged to get Immune Globulin (Ig) shots to prevent the infection and further spread of hepatitis A after being exposed to a hepatitis A infected foodservice worker.

It seems that hardly a month passes without a warning from a health department somewhere that an infected food handler is the source of yet another potential hepatitis A outbreak. Absent vaccinations of food handlers, combined with an effective and rigorous hand washing policy, there will continue to be more hepatitis A outbreaks. It is time for health departments across the country to require vaccinations of foodservice workers, especially those that serve the very young and the elderly.

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Lawyers claim Ashland restaurant liable in Pine City man's death from hepatitis A
By SALLE E. RICHARDS
Star-Gazette
srichards@stargazette.com

A wrongful-death lawsuit was filed Monday in the Chemung County Clerk's Office against a town of Ashland restaurant in connection with the March death of a Pine City man.

Marler Clark, a Seattle law firm, and the Rochester law firm Underberg and Kessler filed the suit on the behalf of the estate of Donald L. Rockwell and his two children, according to a news release from Marler Clark.

The lawsuit claims Rockwell, 49, contracted hepatitis A after eating lunch Oct. 3 at Maple Lawn Dairy Family Restaurant on Lower Maple Avenue. He began feeling ill Oct. 20 and sought treatment Nov. 3, the news release states.

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April 27, 2005

STOCKTON"A warning is out for families whose children attend 4 schools in Stockton: keey an eye out for Hepatitis-A. A cafeteria worker has come down with the infectious disease.

School and public health officials started to worry after a part-time cafeteria worker at Franklin High School was diagnosed with hepatitis A. Advisory letters went out to Franklin High and three elementary schools that are served by its cafeteria.

Diane Barth of the Stockton Unified School District told FOX40 News "She did not handle too much of the food, however they do believe that she handled some oranges that were placed in trays and delivered to the three schools." Those schools are James Urbani, Millard Fillmore and Martin Luther King. They're keying on students who may have eaten cafeteria food on April 12th, 13th, and 15th.

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April 27, 2005

Letters have been sent out warning that as many as 1,200 Stockton-area students area may have been exposed to hepatitis A, a potentially fatal viral disease.

The letters were sent Friday and Monday after a cafeteria worker was diagnosed with the illness last Thursday. Students at Franklin High, King Elementary, Fillmore Elementary and Urbani Institute who ate cafeteria lunches between April 13 and April 15 are at risk of exposure. However, health officials say the risk of contracting the disease is quite low.

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By STEVE STONE AND KATRICE HARDY
The Virginian-Pilot
April 27, 2005

NORFOLK -- People who dined at a local soul food restaurant April 15 through April 18 may need to get shots to protect them from exposure to Hepatitis A.

A food handler employed by Alice Mae's Soul Food restaurant, in the 100 block of Bank St., has been diagnosed with the virus, health officials said Tuesday.

The restaurant was not at fault, said Valerie Stallings, director of the Norfolk Department of Public Health. The employee contracted the disease elsewhere.

How the worker became infected is still under investigation, Stallings said.

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April 26, 2005

CLINTON (AP) - Health department officials have not found the source of a hepatitis A outbreak in Campbell County even after interviewing nearly 100 people over the weekend, they said Monday.

The health department opened an emergency clinic last week, and more than 1,500 people were vaccinated, department spokeswoman Carole Martin said Monday.

Local, regional and state health officials interviewed 98 people, including those with and without the disease, about their habits of socializing, shopping, eating out and drug use to determine the cause, said Dr. Paul Erwin, regional director of the East Tennessee state health department office.

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Tuesday, April 26, 2005
Reported by: Kathryn Barrett

A worker at a Norfolk restaurant has Hepatitis A and health officials want to find patrons who might have been exposed.

Health officials said the alert affects some customers of Alice Mae's Soul Food Restaurant at 112 Bank Street. You have to have eaten cornbread or iced, cold beverages on April 15, 16 17 and 18th between the hours of 5:00 p.m. and closing.

The Norfolk Health Department is ready to answer questions if you ate at the downtown restaurant on those dates and times and ate those specific foods.

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APRIL 26, 2005

STOCKTON -- Nearly 1,200 High School and Elementary School students are being urged to get Immune Globulin shots to prevent the spread of hepatitis A after being exposed to a hepatitis A positive cafeteria worker. "It seems that a month hardly passes without a warning from a health department somewhere that an infected food handler is the source of a potential hepatitis A outbreak," said attorney William Marler, managing partner of the Seattle law firm of Marler Clark. "Absent vaccinations of food handlers, combined with an effective and rigorous hand washing policy, there will be more hepatitis A outbreaks. It is time for health departments to require vaccinations of food handlers, especially those that serve the very young and the elderly" added Marler.

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Health officials say risk of contracting illness is low
By Yasmin Assemi
Record Staff Writer
Published Tuesday, April 26, 2005

STOCKTON -- About 1,200 students at Franklin High, Kohl Open, Fillmore Elementary and Urbani Institute have been exposed to Hepatitis A after a cafeteria worker was diagnosed with the disease Thursday.

Students who ate cafeteria lunches at those schools between April 13 and 15 were exposed to the illness, but San Joaquin County Public Health Services and Stockton Unified School District officials say that risk is low.

"After looking at the whole situation, it looks like the risk ... is very low," health Officer Karen Furst said. "But there is never zero risk."

Stockton Unified on Friday sent home letters to parents of students at each school, district spokeswoman Dianne Barth said. More than half of the elementary school students exposed are already immunized against the illness.

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Health study finds no current risk to public of ongoing infection
By KRISTI L. NELSON, nelsonk@knews.com
April 26, 2005

No single event, restaurant or other place was the source of a hepatitis A outbreak that has infected 18 people so far, the East Tennessee Regional Health Department announced Monday.

That was the result of a study conducted by local, regional and state health department staff over the weekend to try to determine the source of the Campbell County outbreak.

"More importantly, our work this weekend also did not identify any current risk to the public in terms of an ongoing source of hepatitis A," said Dr. Paul Erwin, regional director of ETRHO.

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April 25, 2005

KNOXVILLE (WATE) -- The East Tennessee Regional Health Department says Monday that its investigation of the recent hepatitis A outbreak wasn't able to identify a restaurant as the likely source.

Health officials say over the past weekend they conducted 98 interviews that included people with the virus, food service workers and people chosen at random who weren't sick.

The interviewers asked questions about travel, group functions with food, schools, daycares, healthcare exposures, sharing food, drug use and eating out.

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4/25/2005

The 18th case of hepatitis A has been confirmed in East Tennessee.

The outbreak began in Campbell County earlier this month. The cases are spread between Campbell, Anderson and Scott counties.

The outbreak has been traced to a Waffle House restaurant in Clinton, and at least 12-hundred people who ate there received vaccinations last week against the viral liver illness.

Officials estimate that five-thousand people dined at the restaurant during a susceptible time. A worker there tested positive for the virus.

Hepatitis A symptoms include mild fever, loss of appetite, nausea, diarrhea, fatigue, dark urine and jaundice. It can be spread by poor hygiene and being in contact with someone who has the disease.

Most victims survive.

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By William Marler
April 18, 2005

Health officials in Campbell County are working hard to trace the source of a hepatitis A outbreak that has caused eleven confirmed and four suspected cases of in the County. Health officials appear now to be focusing on potentially infected restaurant workers as the source of the outbreak. Knoxville-area restaurants have understandably seen business plummet due to the public's uncertainty about how the hepatitis A virus is being spread.

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Sat, Apr. 23, 2005
SOME KENTUCKIANS WORRIED THEY MIGHT HAVE CAUGHT DISEASE AT WAFFLE HOUSE
By Cassondra Kirby
HERALD-LEADER STAFF WRITER

Kentuckians, who fear they might have been exposed to hepatitis A while eating at a restaurant along Interstate 75 in Tennessee, kept the phones busy yesterday at an emergency clinic hastily setup after an outbreak of the viral disease.

"We had to put our phone hotline back up because of all the calls from Kentucky," said Carole Martin, spokeswoman for the East Tennessee Regional Health Office who is working out of the temporary emergency clinic in Tennessee.

The hotline is intended to advise those who ate at a Waffle House near Clinton, Tenn., where a food server was one of 18 people in three Tennessee counties to test positive for hepatitis A. Health officials think the server might have exposed more than 7,000 people at the Waffle House, off Exit 122 in Anderson County, from April 1 to April 15, a time when school spring breaks put people from many states on the north-south roadway.

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By Jeremy Z. Young
news@volunteertimes.com

The East Tennessee Regional Health Office (ETRHO) announced Tuesday that the investigation into the recent Hepatitis A outbreak in Campbell County has identified a current case of Hepatitis A in an employee of the Waffle House in Clinton. However, the Clinton based case may be a "result of, not the cause of" the recent outbreak, according to health officials.

As of Tuesday, there were there were a total of 17 confirmed cases of Hepatitis A in East Tennessee. Of those, thirteen cases reside in Campbell County"mostly LaFollette", one in Anderson County and another three confirmed cases in Scott County.

Health officials are concerned about those who may have eaten at the Waffle House in Clinton between April 5 and April 15. They are not ruling out that there may be an originating source in Campbell County. The Waffle House, located at 2255 N. Charles Seviers Blvd., isn't the only possible source for the virus.

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By LANCE GAY
Scripps Howard News Service
April 21, 2005

- Disease detectives say they are seeing welcome progress in tracking down some of the deadliest food-borne pathogens after several spectacular outbreaks in recent years.

But food safety experts say the war against food pathogens is far from over. As science and industry make progress in fighting pathogens on one front, new problems and pathogens crop up elsewhere.

Within the last year, the United States saw the biggest outbreak of Hepatitis A, a disease once thought confined to poor countries with inadequate sanitation. Some 540 people in Pennsylvania were infected and three died after eating green onions. Meanwhile, outbreaks of the Norwalk virus beached some luxury cruises and a dangerous strain of E. coli showed up at a Florida petting zoo.

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April 22, 2005
Amanda Bellinder, All Headline News Contributor

CLINTON, Tennessee (AHN) - Health officials say time is running out for those who at the Clinton Waffle House between April 5 and 15; the diners may need an immune globulin shot which diverts the viral liver disease, hepatitis A, that causes serious illnesses and possibly death.

In order for the shot to be effective, an infected person must have the shot administered within the first 2 weeks of exposure.

As of Wednesday, 1,241 people of the estimated 5,000 who ate at the Waffle House received the shot at the National Guard Armory in Clinton.

No positive hepatitis A cases have been reported among the guests of the diner said Carole Martin, spokeswoman for the East Tennessee Regional Health Office.

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Uncertain of source of outbreak, customers stay away
By DAVID WAHLBERG
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
4/22/05

LAFOLLETTE, Tenn. -- Most days, the adobe-styled El Pueblito Mexican Grill in this mountain town about 35 miles north of Knoxville is packed at lunchtime.

On Thursday, the crowd shortly after noon was slim.

But even that was better than last weekend, when hardly anybody showed up, said Mario Ruiz, assistant manager.

"Everybody is afraid to eat in this city," he said, blaming it on the hepatitis A scare.

The viral liver disease, often serious and occasionally fatal, has sickened 17 local residents in recent weeks. That includes a waitress at a Waffle House off I-75 in Clinton, about 20 miles south of LaFollette. Authorities say she may have exposed as many as 7,000patrons this month during the busy spring break road-trip season.

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KENTUCKIANS MIGHT HAVE DINED AT TENNESSEE RESTAURANT
By Cassondra Kirby
HERALD-LEADER STAFF WRITER
April 22, 2005

State health officials are concerned that some Kentuckians could be among the more than 5,000 people exposed to hepatitis A while eating at a restaurant along Interstate 75 in Tennessee.

But health officials said time is running out for those who ate at the Waffle House near Clinton, Tenn., from April 5 to April 15 -- when many schools were on spring break -- and who may need an immune globulin shot. The shot helps ward off the viral liver disease that can cause serious illness and even death in rare cases.

To be effective, the shot must be administered within two weeks of a person's exposure to the disease, said Carole Martin, spokeswoman for the East Tennessee Regional Health Office.

Kentuckians concerned that they might have been exposed should contact their physicians or an emergency room, health officials said.

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4/21/2005

The recent Hepatitis A outbreak in Campbell County is renewing interest in food safety. According to Food Scientists at the University of Tennessee, at least 57 million people get food poisoning every year.

Research shows most of those cases occur while eating at home, not at a restaurant.

"There's a very good chance you'll acquire some kind of food poisoning this year. You've got a 33%-35% chance, and I'd go to Las Vegas with those odds," said UT Food Science Professor Ann Draughon.

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More than 1,200 who ate at Clinton Waffle House inoculated so far
By KRISTI L. NELSON, nelsonk@knews.com
April 21, 2005

More than 1,200 people who ate at the Waffle House restaurant in Clinton received immune serum globulin to prevent hepatitis A on the first two days of a mass clinic.

Members of East Tennessee Regional Health Office and Anderson County Health Department set up the clinic at the Tennessee National Guard Armory on J.D. Yarnell Parkway in Clinton after ETRHO announced Tuesday that a Waffle House restaurant worker had tested positive for hepatitis A.

The serum will protect people exposed within 14 days. People who ate at the Waffle House, 2255 N. Charles Seivers Blvd. off Interstate 75 in Clinton, between April 7-15 can still receive the shot 8 a.m.-8 p.m. today and 8:30 a.m. to noon Friday, April 22. Those who consumed iced beverages or uncooked foods - such as salads, toppings or garnishes (lemon wedges, lettuce on a sandwich) - are at highest risk for the virus, which causes inflammation of the liver.

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Thursday, 04/21/05
Associated Press

CLINTON, Tenn. -- East Tennessee health workers gave vaccinations to 534 people who might have been exposed to hepatitis A while dining at a Waffle House restaurant.

The shots of immune serum globulin were advised for about 5,000 people who had eaten at the Clinton Waffle House between April 5 and 15 and began being administered at a special emergency clinic that opened Tuesday afternoon and runs through today.

State health officials have confirmed 17 hepatitis A cases in Campbell, Scott and Anderson counties. One of those who became ill is an employee of the Clinton Waffle House, and two people were sick enough to be hospitalized.

The source of the outbreak hasn't been found, though officials suspect that it may have originated at a different restaurant in LaFollette.

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April 20, 2005

CLINTON (WATE) -- Vaccinations continue Wednesday for diners who ate at a Waffle House in Clinton between April 5th and 15th. A worker there has tested positive for hepatitis A.

Officials estimate 5,000 people dined at the Waffle House located at 2255 N. Charles Seviers Blvd. during the specified time. The highest risk is for people who ate uncooked foods, such as salads, or had iced drinks.

A clinic is set up to dispense the shots at the Tennessee National Guard Armory Building on the J.D. Yarnell Parkway in Clinton. The shots are free. They're only effective if given within 14 days of exposure.

The schedule for shots is as follows:

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April 20, 2005

As many as 5,000 patrons of a Clinton, Tenn., restaurant face the prospect of shots for hepatitis A to stem an outbreak of the viral liver disease, the Associated Press reported Wednesday.

Seventeen cases of the disease have already been confirmed, and all of those infected are believed to have eaten at the Waffle House restaurant between April 5 and April 15. Two of the patrons have been hospitalized, the AP said.

The source of the outbreak remains a mystery, the wire service reported. The restaurant estimates as many as 5,000 people may have visited the establishment during the 10-day time frame.

Since it can take up to a month before an exposed person becomes sick, tracking the source and place of the original infection is proving difficult, Campbell County health officials told the AP.

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Katie Allison Granju, Online Producer
4/20/2005

The East Tennessee Regional Health Office in Knoxville reports that 534 people received a shot to prevent Hepatitis A at a clinic set up in Clinton on Tuesday. The clinic is also open

The vaccine given was Immune Serum Globulin (IsG), and the clinic was set up at the National Guard Armory in response to a recent outbreak of Hepatitis A cases in Campbell County.

Preliminary investigation indicates that some individuals may have been exposed to the disease at the Waffle House restaurant in Clinton.

IsG provides protection against exposure to Hepatitis A, but only if it is given within 14 days of exposure to the disease.

Health officials urge everyone who has eaten at the Waffle House in Clinton in recent weeks to come in to the clinic to get a shot.

For more information, call the Regional Health Department at 549-5307 or (toll free) 1-866-852-6710 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. EST.

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KnoxNews
April 20, 2005

Transmitted person-to-person by putting something in the mouth that has been contaminated with infected feces. Infected food handlers can pass virus through food or beverages. Also transmitted on improperly cleaned diaper-handling tables and through raw/partially-cooked shellfish from waters containing raw sewage.

Infected person can transmit two weeks before symptoms occur.

Symptoms include jaundice, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine/light stools, fever. One in 100 have severe, sudden infection that may require liver transplant.

Symptoms appear 2-6 weeks after exposure.

Injection of immune serum globulin antibody can protect against virus 2-3 months.

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By Associated Press
April 20, 2005, 5:50

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Unable to find the source of a hepatitis A outbreak in eastern Tennessee, health officials offered to inoculate as many as 5,000 people who ate at a restaurant where an infected food server worked.

Health officials offered free shots Tuesday to anyone potentially exposed at the Waffle House in Clinton from April 5 to April 15, when the restaurant estimates it served as many as 5,000 people.

Dr. Paul Erwin, director of the regional health office, said the infected employee was a victim of the outbreak.

Seventeen cases of hepatitis A, a viral liver disease that can be spread through poor hygiene, have been confirmed in recent weeks. Two people were hospitalized.

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KnoxNews
Clinton Waffle House employee tests positive for hepatitis A
By KRISTI L. NELSON, nelsonk@knews.com
April 20, 2005

A Clinton restaurant worker has tested positive for the hepatitis A virus, prompting the East Tennessee Regional Health Office to offer shots for residents who might have been exposed while eating at the restaurant.

The infected Waffle House worker is a result of an earlier outbreak in Campbell County, not the cause of it, said Dr. Paul Erwin, ETHRO executive director.

The Anderson County Health Department and ETRHO have planned a mass clinic to give immune serum globulin to people who ate at Clinton's Waffle House, 2255 N. Charles G. Seviers Blvd., between April 5-15. Immune serum globulin, or ISG, offers protection from the virus when given within 14 days of exposure; those exposed earlier than 14 days ago may still get sick but would not be helped by ISG shots.

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CAMPBELL COUNTY, TX (April 19, 2005) -- The Regional Health Department confirmed that a foodservice worker who worked at the Waffle House restaurant located at off Highway 61 in Clinton tested positive for hepatitis A. People who ate at the restaurant between April 1 and April 15, during the time when the worker was infectious, are now at risk for developing hepatitis A infection. The infected Waffle House worker is suspected to be the victim of a larger outbreak of hepatitis A that is believed to have caused at least 17 acute hepatitis A infections. Health officials have traced the outbreak to a restaurant in LaFollette.

The Regional Health Department organized a clinic to inoculate patrons of the restaurant who ate there between April 5 and April 15. The average incubation period for hepatitis A infection is thirty days, but can be as long as fifty days. A person who is infected with hepatitis A is infectious for the two weeks pervious to symptom onset and for two weeks thereafter. Immune globulin shots prevent hepatitis A infection, but only if administered during the two weeks following exposure to the virus.

"It seems that a month hardly passes without a warning from a health department somewhere that an infected food handler is the source of a potential hepatitis A outbreak," said attorney William Marler, managing partner of Marler Clark, the Seattle law firm dedicated to representing victims of foodborne illness outbreaks.

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Jeff Webb, Webmaster
4/19/2005

The Regional Health Department confirms that four more people have tested positive for Hepatitis A in the last 24 hours. That brings the total number of Hepatitis A to 17.

Health department officials say a restaurant worker in Clinton is one of those who tested positive. The person is an employee at the Waffle House off of Highway 61 in Clinton.

Health officials say people who dined at that location between April 1 and April 15, 2005 could be exposed. They are specifically concerned about those who have eaten uncooked foods (salads, garnishes, toppings) or iced drinks.

The health department is setting up a clinic today for people to get a shot of serum to ward off the virus. It's at the Tennessee National Guard Armory on JD Yarnell Parkway in Clinton.

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April 19, 2005

CAMPBELL COUNTY (WATE) -- Health officials say Tuesday there are two more confirmed cases of hepatitis A in East Tennessee for a total of 17.

There are 13 cases in Campbell County, one in Anderson and three in Scott.

Investigators are still working to isolate the source of the outbreak that began in Campbell County last week.

The director of the Regional Health Department, Dr. Paul Erwin, said Monday he believes an infected restaurant worker is the likely source. But the employee hasn't been identified and the health department hasn't said which restaurant it believes originated the outbreak.

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Campbell County/ Knox County
April 19, 2005

Knoxville, Knox County (WVLT) -- The East Tennessee Regional Health Department is getting set to release at least one source of the Hepatitis-A outbreak in Campbell County.

The Health Department is expected to release that information at a news conference around 11:45 am.

We also anticipate a release of some phone numbers for a phone bank where you can call to either get more information or report if you have eaten at the restaurant or have any symptoms.

So far there are 13 cases of Hepatitis-A in Campbell and surrounding counties, with 3 cases still pending.

The Health Department says that just because they are releasing one source does not mean that it's the only source. And they expect more work over the next few weeks as they start hearing from residents in the area.

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April 18, 2005
By CATHARYN CAMPBELL
6 News Reporter

CAMPBELL COUNTY (WATE) -- Health officials say Monday there are no new confirmed cases of hepatitis A in East Tennessee. However, investigators are still working to isolate the source of the outbreak that began in Campbell County last week.

There are 15 cases confirmed, spread between three counties: 13 in Campbell, one in Anderson and one in Scott.

The director of the Regional Health Department, Dr. Paul Erwin, says he believes an infected restaurant worker is the likely source. But the employee hasn't been identified and the health department won't say which restaurant it believes originated the outbreak.

Investigators say they don't believe there's an ongoing threat in any Campbell County restaurants.

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04/16/2005

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Two people have filed lawsuits alleging that they were among the more than 600 people who became ill from hepatitis A-tainted green onions served at a Center Township restaurant in 2003.

Martha Funkhouser of Beaver Falls and Reginald Woods of Lake Milton, Ohio, sued bankrupt Louisville, Ky.-based restaurant chain Chi-Chi's in Allegheny County Court, alleging that they suffered liver damage from hepatitis A after eating at the Beaver Valley Mall restaurant in October 2003.

According to the lawsuits, Funkhouser and Woods decided to sue after court-approved mediation hearings didn't resolve their claims.

Chi-Chi's attorney David Ernst said efforts to resolve the case were made, "but it's their right to sue."

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East Tennessee Health
April 18, 2005

There are two new confirmed cases of Hepatitis-A stemming from an outbreak in Campbell County.

Doctor Paul Erwin the man in charge of the Health Department probe says there is one new case each from Anderson and Scott counties.

That brings the total number of confirmed cases to 11, with four more cases suspected to be Hepatitis-A.

Doctor Erwin says three victims were hospitalized and one remains there...the victims range in age from their mid 20's to their mid 30's.

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Dan Farkas, Reporter
4/16/2005

Inside Naploy's restaurant in La Follette, a man works feverishly with balloons trying to put a smile on a child's face. Finding any kind of smile is challenging for some workers inside.

"From a business perspective, yeah I'm worried," said Jason Alvezois.

Normally, Alvezois says 150 will fill the chairs at his place on a given afternoon. Friday that number was 25. He says the Hepatitis A scare is making him sick for a totally different reason.

"People are afraid to go out and eat," said Alvezois.

Even though you can plainly see the 93% grade from the Campbell County Health Department, even though there is absolutely no indication Napoly's had a single thing to do with an outbreak of Hepatitis A in Campbell county, it and several other restaurants sit almost empty on a Friday night.

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JACKSBORO, Tenn. - Health officials have confirmed that another person has tested positive for Hepatitis-A in Campbell County. This makes a total of 13 confirmed cases in the area and two suspected.

Most of the people are from the La Follette area, another is from Scott County and one more is in Anderson County.

Right now the health department is waiting for test results from seven restaurant employees who've shown some signs of the liver ailment. Those employees are from two different restaurants, neither of which the health department will name.

The potentially ill employees are off the job and the health department says no one else should be at risk of exposure.

Symptoms include nausea, jaundice and dark, brownish urine. Most people recover.

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Lee Ann Bowman, Producer
4/16/2005

The Health Department has confirmed that another person has tested positive for Hepatitis-A in Campbell County. This makes a total of 13 confirmed cases in the area and 2 suspected.

Most of the people are from the Lafollette area, another is from Scott County and one more is in Anderson County.

Right now the Health Department is waiting for test results from 7 restaurant employees who've shown some signs of Hepatitis-A. Those employees are from 2 different restaurants, neither of which the Health Department will name.

The potentially ill employees are off the job and the Health Department says no one else should be at risk of exposure.

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April 15, 2005
By CATHARYN CAMPBELL
6 News Reporter

CAMPBELL COUNTY (WATE) -- Health officials say Friday the number of confirmed cases of hepatitis A are growing and the virus is now in three counties.

There are 12 confirmed cases in the region. Ten are in Campbell County, where the investigation centers. There's one confirmed case in Scott County and one confirmed case in Anderson County.

In Scott and Anderson Counties, the infected people either know a person who's infected in Campbell County or they've eaten at a restaurant that's being investigated.

The symptoms of hepatitis A include abdominal pain, loss of appetite, nausea and diarrhea. People with the virus usually experience extreme fatigue, to the point where they don't want to get out of bed, along with a high fever. Doctors say jaundice is the most notable sign of the virus.

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2005-04-16

A report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in collaboration with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) showed important declines in foodborne infections due to common bacterial pathogens in 2004.

For the first time, cases of E. coli O157 infections, one of the most severe foodborne diseases, are below the national Healthy People 2010 health goal. From 1996-2004, the incidence of E. coli O157 infections decreased 42 percent. Campylobacter infections decreased 31 percent, Cryptosporidium dropped 40 percent, and Yersinia decreased 45 percent.

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PITTSBURGH Most of the 600 people sickened by a hepatitis-A outbreak in western Pittsburgh over a year ago have settled with the Chi-Chi's restaurant chain.

But two people have filed suit against the Louisville restaurant chain.

Martha Funkhouser of Beaver Falls and Reginald Woods of Lake Milton, Ohio, sued the bankrupt chain, saying they suffered liver damage after contracting hepatitis A. They ate at a Chi-Chi's at the Beaver Valley Mall in October 2003.

Chi-Chi's settled more than 550 other claims stemming from the outbreak.

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By Jill Ricker
Friday, April 15, 2005

LYNN - Two students at the Harrington Elementary School have contracted hepatitis A, but they are no longer contagious, Superintendent of Schools Nicholas Kostan said Thursday.

"We had been notified that a couple of kids who lived in the same house were identified as being diagnosed with hepatitis A," he said. "By the time we were notified, the contagious period had closed. We got the state Department of Public Health involved. Right away we called them and we really have to follow their lead - we're just educators, they're the experts."

Hepatitis A is a virus that makes your liver swell and stops it from fighting infections, stopping bleeding and removing drugs and other poisons from the blood. It is diagnosed by a blood test.

The virus is found primarily in feces and is spread when contaminated hands, food, or water reach the mouth and the virus is swallowed. Symptoms of the virus are described as flu-like and the virus usually goes away on its own after a few weeks.

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April 13, 2005

CAMPBELL COUNTY (WATE) -- The Regional Health Department says Wednesday that it's investigating five confirmed cases of hepatitis A in Campbell County. There are three other people who have suspected cases.

Of the confirmed cases, three of the five people are being treated at St. Mary's Medical Center in Campbell County.

Health officials are working on a plan to identify people who may have been exposed to hepatitis A and get them vaccinated.

Each person diagnosed with Hepatitis A has been asked to fill out a form with a series of questions designed to show health workers if there's a connection between the cases.

The symptoms of hepatitis A include abdominal pain, loss of appetite, nausea and diarrhea. People with the virus usually experience extreme fatigue, to the point where they don't want to get out of bed, along with a high fever.

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