The hepatitis A outbreak associated “Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend” frozen berry and pomegranate mix has sickened 79 people in eight states including four in New Mexico, according to state health officials. The New Mexico cases include a 51-year-old man and a 54-year-old man, both from Bernalillo County, a 54-year-old man from Sandoval County, and a 41-year-old woman from Santa Fe County.
“We want to make sure people who have eaten this product within the last 14 days know that they can avoid illness by receiving a hepatitis A vaccination or immunoglobulin,” said Department of Health Cabinet Secretary Retta Ward, MPH in a statement. “Many local pharmacies have the hepatitis A vaccine and it is covered by a number of insurance plans. Local health care providers may also have the vaccine available.”
The hepatitis A vaccine is also available at local public health offices throughout the state for people who are uninsured or are having difficulty finding the vaccine.
New Mexico health officials urge consumers not to eat the recalled berries and to check with their health care providers about getting the hepatitis A vaccine if they have already eaten the berries. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, fatigue, fever, dark urine, clay-colored stools and yellow skin or eyes. The symptoms usually appear two to seven weeks after exposure and can last up to two months while the virus runs its course. Hepatitis A is a virus that inflames the liver.
