Hep A scare prompts national product recall
18.jul.06
AAP
news.com.au
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,19830446-1248,00.html
KR Castlemaine, one of Australia's largest meat producers, has, according to this story, issued a nationwide recall of some of its products after an employee fell ill with the potentially fatal hepatitis A virus and after consultations with Queensland Health and the Communicable Disease Network Australia.
The story says that the female employee, who works on the packaging line, was first diagnosed with the disease on July 9 after attending Toowoomba Hospital.
She is now receiving treatment and is recovering from the illness.
The 800 staff at the factory are being monitored for symptoms of the highly contagious disease.
The recall affects 17 of KR Castlemaine's products, mainly from its shaved ham line.
This is the first time products have been recalled in Australia after a case of hepatitis A.
Queensland Health chief health officer Jeannette Young was quoted as saying, "This is a public health issue. This is not the result of any failure in the company's practices, nor is it the fault of the employee."
