An employee at Greektown Casino in Detroit has been diagnosed with hepatitis A, according to a press release issued by the City of Detroit Health Department. That facility is located at 555 East Lafayette. The Health Department believes that the risk of exposure is only in those who were in the private Platinum member card access area of the casino between November 11 and November 22, 2017. Anyone who consumed beverages at that casino in the private access area should get vaccinated as soon as possible.
If you visited that facility before November 17, 2017, it’s too late to get an immune globulin or hepatitis A vaccination, because the shot is only effective if administered within two weeks of possible exposure. You should monitor yourself for the symptoms of hepatitis A for the next two weeks to 50 days.
If you were there between November 17 and November 22, you can get a vaccination. The Greektown Casino is proactively contacting those people to advise them of their vaccination options.
Greektown Casino has been cooperating with this investigation, and has hired a certified cleaning contract. All potentially affected areas have been cleaned and sanitized. The casino is also arranging vaccinations for all employees. The affected employee can’t return to work until they have been cleared by their doctor.
There has been a sharp increase in hepatitis A cases since 2016 in Southeast Michigan, which includes the Detroit area. Officials did not say if the ill employee is part of the larger outbreak.
The symptoms of hepatitis A include fever, diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, abdominal pains, clay-colored stools, fatigue, dark urine, and yellow eyes or skin (jaundice). These symptoms can be mild and last a few weeks, or can be severe and last for months.
If you do get sick, see your doctor. It’s important to stay home while you are in the infectious period. Unfortunately, people who have this virus are infectious for two weeks before they begin to experience symptoms.
The hepatitis A virus is spread through contaminated food or drink, or by touching their mouth with objects, including hands, that have come into contact with stool from an infected person. To avoid further spread of this illness, always wash your hands well with soap and water after using the bathroom. And stay home from work or school if you are experiencing these symptoms.
