A worker with hepatitis A may have contaminated butchered meat products cold at the Montebello Costco Wholesale store at 1345 North Montebello Boulevard, Montebello, California, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. This case is not related to the current large hepatitis A outbreak among the homeless in Southern California.
Costco and Public Health are warning consumers that anyone who handled or consumed butchered meat from that location from October 22 through October 31, 2017, may be at “low risk” for hepatitis A. This warning does not affect any butchered meat products bought from other Costco locations.
Public Health is working with the company to investigate this possible exposure, and to provide at-risk Costco employees with hepatitis A vaccinations. Costco has notified their customers who have purchased the products in question. The statement reads, “There is no known risk of hepatitis A exposure at the Montebello Costco Wholesale now or on other dates outside the exposure period, and Public Health has not identified any new cases associated with this possible exposure.”
The Los Angeles County Health Officer is recommending that anyone who handled or consumed meat products from that location on the dates above should be a hepatitis A vaccination or immune globulin shot within two weeks. That means that anyone who bought the products on October 30 or 31, 2017, can still get a shot. It’s too late for a vaccination for anyone who bought meat products from October 22 through October 29. If you bought meat products there from October 22 to October 31, 2017, throw them away.
Costco is offering free hepatitis A vaccinations at the Montebello store for any customers on Monday, November 13 from 9:30 am to 6:00 pm. You can also get a shot at some pharmacies and from your healthcare provider. If you have been vaccinated against hepatitis A or have had the disease in the past, you are immune.
Jeffrey Gunzenhauser, MD, MPH, Interim Los Angeles County Health Officer said in a statement, “We are actively monitoring this situation and we don’t believe this case is related to the outbreak. It is important that anyone who may have purchased or consumed butchered meat from this Costco location between October 22 and October 31 contact their doctor to discuss possible hepatitis A prevention and treatment options.”
If it’s too late for a shot for you, you should monitor yourself for the symptoms of this disease. Most people get sick within 15 to 50 days after exposure to the virus. The symptoms include fever, malaise, dark urine, lack of appetite, nausea, and stomach pain, followed by jaundice, which is yellowing of the eyes and skin.
