Another lawsuit has been filed in California against Costco Corporation and Townsend Farms on behalf of a victim of a multi-state hepatitis A outbreak. The source of the outbreak is frozen berries manufactured by Oregon-based Townsend Farms and sold at Costco stores, according to the suit, which is not a class action. The berries were part of a recall. "The evidence pointing to Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend berries is extremely strong," said attorney Fred Pritzker, who is representing several other victims of the hepatitis A outbreak. "Our goal is to hold Townsend Farms and Costco accountable for these illnesses by getting full and fair compensation for our clients." This newest lawsuit was filed against Townsend Farms and Costco Corporation in the Superior Court of Los … [Read more...]
Costco Hepatitis A Lawsuit Filed for Man Sickened by Berry Mix Produced by Townsend Farms
Hepatitis A Outbreak Associated with Townsend Farms Berries Grows to 122
The hepatitis A outbreak associated with Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend frozen berry and pomegranate mix sold at Costco stores has grown again to include 122 people. Fifty-four people have been hospitalized in this outbreak; there have been no deaths. The numbers are current as of June 25, 2013. The case count per state is: Arizona (17), California (62), Colorado (25), Hawaii (5), New Mexico (5), Nevada (5), Utah (2), and Wisconsin (1). Seventy-one (58%) of the ill persons are women. The age range is from 2 to 84 years. Most of those ill are between the ages of 40 and 64 years. Illness onset dates range from 3/31/13 to 6/15/13. The investigation by local, state, and federal health departments is ongoing. The recalled product was distributed to Arizona, Alaska, California, … [Read more...]
Townsend Farms-Costco Hepatitis A Outbreak Numbers Increase Again
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated their investigation into the hepatitis A outbreak associated with Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant blend frozen berry and pomegranate mix. As of June 24, 2013, 120 people are confirmed ill with acute hepatitis. The patients live in eight states. The one case reported from Wisconsin, a new state in the outbreak, was exposed to the product in California. But it's possible that person has spread the virus before he or she knew about the illness. The case count is as follows: Arizona (16), California (62), Colorado (24), Hawaii (5), New Mexico (5), Nevada (5), Utah (2), and Wisconsin (1). Seventy people in this outbreak are women. Most people (61%) are between the ages of 40 and 64. Illness onset dates range from 3/31/13 … [Read more...]
Hepatitis A Townsend Farms-Costco Outbreak Grows to 119
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated its investigation into the Townsend Farms-Costco hepatitis A outbreak associated with a frozen berry and pomegranate mix. As of June 22, 2013, 119 people in seven states have been confirmed ill with acute hepatitis after consuming the recalled product. The CDC is stating that they are reporting only confirmed cases. The case count map has been updated and reflects actual case count totals. The outbreak count by state is as follows: Arizona (16), California (61), Colorado (24), Hawaii (5), New Mexico (5), Nevada (5), and Utah (3). Fifty-three people have been hospitalized in this outbreak; there have been no reported deaths. Sixty-nine ill persons (58%) are women; 72 (61%) of ill persons are between the ages of 40 to 64 … [Read more...]
Townsend Farms Hepatitis A Outbreak Sickens 110
The hepatitis A outbreak associated with Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend sold at Costco has now sickened 110 people in seven states. The numbers are changing daily in this outbreak; now the CDC reports that 48 people have been hospitalized. It seems they have the case count numbers updated; the number of people sickened in each state is as follows: Arizona (15), California (55), Colorado (21), Hawaii (6), New Mexico (5), Nevada (5), and Utah (3). Patient age range is from 2 years to 87 years. Sixty-six people (60%) are between the ages of 40 and 64. Four children under age 18 are infected; of those, none were hospitalized and none were previously vaccinated. In 1995, the government started recommending that children get a hepatitis A vaccine; since then, the number of new … [Read more...]
Hepatitis A Townsend Farms-Costco Outbreak Now at 118 Sick
As of June 17, 2013, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that 118 people are now sick in the Costco-Townsend Farms Hepatitis A outbreak. Those sickened live in eight states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Washington. Forty seven people have been hospitalized in this outbreak. The case count is still not completely updated, but the latest is as follows: Arizona (14), California (50), Colorado (20), Hawaii (5), New Mexico (5), Nevada (5), and Utah (3). Public health officials have interviewed 112 people in this outbreak. Sixty-six, or 59%, of the ill persons are women. The illness onset dates range from 3/16/13 to 6/8/13. No deaths have been reported. 80 of 112 ill people (71%) reported eating the recalled Townsend Farms Organic … [Read more...]
Costco-Townsend Farms Hepatitis A Lawsuit Update: Lawyer Pursues Victim Compensation
Several hepatitis A lawsuits have been filed against Costco Wholesale Corporation, a Washington company, and Townsend Farms, Inc., an Oregon company. These suits seek compensation for victims of an outbreak of hepatitis A infections linked to Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend frozen berries sold at Costco stores. To date, 47 people have been hospitalized, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). "We are seeking compensation for our clients who were diagnosed with hepatitis A after eating Townsend Farms berries," said Fred Pritzker, an attorney representing people from several states. "Hepatitis A is a dangerous pathogen, and these contaminated berries should never have reached the market where they could sicken over 100 people." This outbreak started … [Read more...]
Townsend Farms-Costco Hepatitis A Outbreak Grows to 106 Sick
The Hepatitis A outbreak associated with the Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend frozen berry and pomegranate mix has grown to 106 people, according to the CDC. Forty-seven people have been hospitalized in this outbreak. Ninety-four people have been interviewed so far. Of those people, 57, or 61% are women. The age range is still from 2 to 87 years. Illness onset dates range from 3/16/2013 - 6/8/2013. Half of the people who are ill have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported. Seventy-six of the 94 people interviewed so far ate the recalled Townsend Farms product before becoming ill and all purchased the product at Costco. The product was recalled on June 3, 2013. People may still have this product in their home freezers. Some retail establishments may still have it too; … [Read more...]
Hepatitis A: What You Should Know
The Costco-Townsend Farms Hepatitis A outbreak has sickened at least 97 people in the southwest United States and Hawaii. Hundreds of thousands of bags of the frozen berry and pomegranate mix have been recalled, and many people have had to get a vaccination to prevent acute Hepatitis after eating or handling the product. So what is Hepatitis A? There are seven types of Hepatitis, all identified by a letter. Hepatitis A is found in the feces of infected people. It is spread by eating or drinking food contaminated with the virus, by international travel and by close personal contact. Hepatitis B and C are found in blood and bodily fluids and aren't transmitted by food or drink. You can be vaccinated against Hepatitis A and B; the CDC recommends that children should be vaccinated against … [Read more...]
Townsend Farms-Costco Hepatitis A Outbreak Reduced to 97 Ill
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has lowered the number of ill persons in the Townsend Farms-Costco Hepatitis A outbreak to 97, from 99 reported yesterday. Seventy-six people have been interviewed in this outbreak; 66 of them (87%) reported eating "Townsend Farms Organic Anti-Oxidant Blend" frozen berry and pomegranate mix before becoming ill. All those who ate this product and got sick purchased it from Costco markets. The product was also sold at Harris Teeter stores under that store's brand name, but no one who got sick bought the product there. Thirty-eight people have been hospitalized in this outbreak. That is 52% of the total of ill persons, which is quite a high number. Illness onset dates range from 3/16/13 to 6/1/13. The age range of patients is from 2 … [Read more...]
