There was a hepatitis A exposure at Cardinal Provisions in Asbury Park, New Jersey in September 2023, according to the Monmouth County Health Department. The company notified the health department about the employee's diagnosis. That venue is located at 513 Bangs Avenue in Asbury Park. Public health officials visited the establishment and conducted an inspection. They found no evidence of food safety violations. The facility voluntarily closed and did not reopen until all employees who had been exposed to the virus had been vaccinated. The employee worked while infectious on September 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, and 21, 2023. Anyone who consumed food or drinks at Cardinal Provisions on those dates may have been exposed to hepatitis A and should consider getting vaccinated. The … [Read more...]
Hepatitis A Exposure at Cardinal Provisions in Asbury Park, NJ
Potential Outbreak at Central Connecticut State University
A potential outbreak at Central Connecticut State University Hilltop Cafe has sickened an unknown number of students, according to news reports. The Hilltop Cafe is closed while the outbreak is being investigated by public health officials. The university's Environmental Health & Safety Department is working with the City of New Britain Department of Public Health and the establishment that provides the food to that venue, Sodexo, to try to solve this outbreak. Hilltop Cafe is the venue that is open the most hours on campus, but all three dining facilities are owned by Sodexo. There is no information about this outbreak on the City of New Britain Department of Public Health web site. Officials do not know what pathogen is causing these illnesses, and if a food or ill employee … [Read more...]
Huntley High School E. coli Outbreak Sickens Nine Students in IL
The Huntley High School E. coli outbreak has now sickened nine students in Illinois, according to news reports. That is an increase of three more patients since the outbreak was announced on September 17, 2023. That high school is located at 13719 Harmony Road in Huntley. The outbreak has not been solved. Officials are looking at responses to a survey sent out to students and their families, asking about exposures before the outbreak began. The McHenry County Health Department issued a press release about the outbreak on September 21, 2023. The confirmed outbreak is caused by Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) bacteria, which can cause serious illness. One of the complications of this infection is hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) that is a type of kidney failure. There are no … [Read more...]
How Do You Know if You Have a Giardia Infection?
How do you know if you have a Giardia infection? This tiny parasite Giardia duodenalis causes gastrointestinal illnesses and usually sickens people who swallow contaminated recreational water or drinking water. The parasite lives in the intestine of animals and people and is passed in feces. Giardia is found in every country around the world and in every region of the United States. The parasite is very contagious and spreads easily, including from person to person and through contact with contaminated surfaces. Giardia Infection Symptoms People usually start having symptoms of this infection one to two weeks after swallowing the parasite. Symptoms include diarrhea, gas, foul-smelling, greasy poop that can float, stomach pain and cramps, loss of appetite, nausea, and dehydration. … [Read more...]
Blue Ridge Rock Festival Outbreak Sickens People in Virginia
A Blue Ridge Rock Festival outbreak has sickened concertgoers in Virginia, according to the Virginia Department of Health and news reports. Public health officials are asking that anyone who attended that event, which was supposed to be held September 5 through September 10, 2023, to complete an online survey, even if they didn't get sick, to help them solve this outbreak. The Southside Health District of the Virginia Department of Health is leading the investigation. The festival was canceled two days early, allegedly because of weather conditions. It was held at the Virginia International Raceway located at 1245 Pine Tree Road in Alton, Virginia. 10 News got "hundreds of messages" about the festival from patrons who said that there were unsanitary and unsafe conditions at the … [Read more...]
Salmonella Outbreak in Campbellsville, Kentucky Sickens 13
A Salmonella outbreak in Campbellsville, Kentucky has sickened at least 13 people, according to the Lake Cumberland District Health Department. As of Friday, September 22, 2023, there have been 13 cases of illness reported; of those, six are confirmed as Salmonella infections, while the remaining seven cases are categorized as probable Salmonella. Public health officials believe that those sickened were likely exposed to the pathogen on September 8, 9, and 10, 2023. There have been no newly reported cases of illness in the past several days. The health department's investigation is ongoing. There is no word on what food may be responsible for these illnesses, what the patients have in common, or if an ill person made people sick. We don't know if the cause was food purchased at a … [Read more...]
Outbreak at Wedding Held at Gardens on Q in Holdrege, Nebraska
An alleged outbreak at a wedding held at the Gardens on Q venue in Holdrege, Nebraska has sickened an unnamed number of guests, according to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Service and the Two Rivers Public Health Department. That venue address is 74192 Q Road in Holdrege. Public health officials are asking that anyone who attended that wedding reception fill out a survey even if they didn't get sick to help them solve this outbreak. There is no information about the number of people potentially sickened, the patient age range, illness onset dates, or whether anyone has been hospitalized. The survey simply said that there are "potential cases of gastrointestinal illness among people who attended a wedding reception at Gardens on Q." The survey asks people to check … [Read more...]
Carniceria Guanajuato Salmonella Outbreak Sickens 56
The Carniceria Guanajuato Salmonella outbreak has now sickened at least 55 people, according to news reports. The Chicago Department of Public Health said the number of patients has increased from 20 that were identified last week, and by 25 since the last update was issued on September 18, 2023. The case count is accurate as of Wednesday, September 20, 2023, and may increase. The Carniceria Guanajuato grocery store is located at 3140 North California Avenue in Avondale. At least 17 people have been hospitalized because they are so ill. One person is allegedly on a ventilator and is requiring dialysis. The city conducted an inspection at that grocery store, which contains a taqueria, after illness reports started coming in, and found some serious violations, including eggs and … [Read more...]
Hepatitis A Confirmed at Pine Knob Music Theatre Ivy Lounge in MI
A case of hepatitis A has been confirmed at the Pine Knob Music Theatre Ivy Lounge, according to the Oakland County Health Department in Michigan. The case was confirmed by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Laboratory. That means that anyone who ate food at that venue between August 26 and September 8, 2023, has potentially been exposed to the virus. Tomorrow is the last day to be vaccinated for people who attended the Jason Aldean concert on September 8, 2023. The Health Division is advising all season members, their guests, and staff who ate food at the Ivy Lounge between August 26 and September 8, 2023 to monitor themselves for the symptoms of hepatitis A and get vaccinated if possible. Dr. Russel Faust, Oakland County medical director said in a statement, … [Read more...]
CrackleMi Café Salmonella Outbreak in Seattle, WA Sickens Three
A CrackleMi Café Salmonella outbreak in Seattle, Washington has sickened at least three people, according to the King County Public Health Department. The illnesses occurred in August, but the investigation into the outbreak was announced on September 21, 2023. That restaurant is located at 709 North 35th Street in Seattle. Illness onset dates range from August 16 through August 20, 2023. The patients ate at that cafe on dates ranging from August 7 to August 17, 2023. The patient age range is from 23 to 38 years. All three patients developed one or more symptoms that are consistent with salmonellosis, including nausea, vomiting, abdominal ramps, diarrhea, stool that is bloody, and fever. All three patients had confirmatory testing that indicated Salmonella infections via culture. … [Read more...]