An employee at the Burger King in Danville, Kentucky has been diagnosed with hepatitis A, according to Boyle County Health Department Public Health Director Blent Blevins. He told the Danville Advocate-Messenger that while there is minimal risk of contacting the virus from the restaurant, patrons who ate there between December 12, 2018 and January 1, 2019 should think about getting a vaccination.
There are two vaccinations for this virus: the hepatitis A vaccine and the immune globulin vaccination. These two vaccinations are given to people depending on their age and health status. Blevins added that there is no indication that anyone who ate at the restaurant has been sick.
These vaccinations are effective if given within two weeks of exposure. That means that anyone who ate there after December 26, 2018 may be out of luck. For those people, all they can do is monitor their health and see their doctor if they develop symptoms.
The Burger King restaurant was thoroughly sanitized after the employee was diagnosed. Owners of that facility are now requiring that employees get vaccinated as a condition of employment.
There is a hepatitis A outbreak that is ongoing in Kentucky. At least 2,900 people in that state have been diagnosed with the illness, which affects the liver, and can be deadly.
The symptoms of hepatitis A include jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), dark urine, clay-colored stools, joint pain, tiredness, loss of appetite, weight loss, and a low grade fever. The best way to prevent spread of this virus, which is extremely contagious, is to get vaccinated. All people who work with the public should consider this.
