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.

The clinic will be open until 8:00 p.m. today and from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday.
The serum only works if given within 14 days of exposure, so it will only be effective for those who ate at the restaurant between April 5 – April 15, 2005.
For more information you can call (865) 549-5307 or toll free (866) 852-6710.
Dr. Paul Erwin, Regional Director at the ETRHO, stated that the number one concern in providing this public notification was to protect the health of the public and prevent further cases of Hepatitis A. “This single current case of Hepatitis A in an employee at the Waffle House appears to be the result of, not the cause of the Hepatitis A outbreak in Campbell County,” said Dr. Erwin. “We have good epidemiologic evidence linking the majority of the cases of Hepatitis A in Campbell County to having eaten at a specific restaurant in LaFollette in March; however, no employee at that restaurant has yet tested positive.”