The hepatitis A outbreak in Hawaii, which has sickened at least 168 people, may have been solved with the announcement that raw scallops served at Genki Sushi restaurants on the islands of Oahu and Kauai may be to blame. But how does that virus get into shellfish in the first place? The scallops were imported into Hawaii by two distributors: Koha Oriental Foods and True World Foods. Koha Oriental Foods supplied the product to Genki Sushi Restaurants on Oahu and Kauai. Recently, True World Foods also started selling frozen imported scallops to that restaurant chain. We don't know where the scallops were grown and harvested. An embargo has been placed on scallops distributed by those two establishments. There have been hepatitis A outbreaks linked to shellfish imported from third … [Read more...]

Two more food workers on Oahu, Hawaii, have been diagnosed with hepatitis A. That state is hard hit in an outbreak, with at least 168 people sickened. The two newest food workers diagnosed worked at the Papa John's Waipahu at 94-1021 Waipahu Street on Oahu, and at the New Lin Fong bakery in Chinatown at 1132 Maunakea Street on Oahu. The worker at the Papa John's was present on July 23-24 and August 2, 2016. The worker at the New Lin Fong bakery was present July 20, 22-23, 25, 27, 29-30, and Aug. 1, 3, and 5-6, 2016. The health department press release stresses that this notice does not indicate that those businesses are sources of the outbreak. No infections have been linked to exposure at these businesses. The other businesses that have had infected workers include the Baskin … [Read more...]

The Health Department of the state of Hawaii is launching an online survey to help it solve the mystery of the hepatitis A outbreak plaguing residents. As of August 10, 2016, 168 people are sick with the viral illness. Since the last update, 33 new cases have been identified. Forty eight people have been hospitalize because their illnesses are so serious. All of those sickened are adults; 46 of them have required hospitalization. The source of the outbreak is believed to be focused on Oahu. The onset of illness dates range from 6/12/16 to 8/1/16. Hawaii residents are urged to take an online survey to help solve the outbreak. The survey will determine how frequently residents eat at restaurants and obtain food from grocery stores in the state. The survey will take less than five … [Read more...]

Civil Beat is reporting that Dr. Sarah Park briefed Hawaii legislators on the hepatitis A outbreak investigation in that state. As of August 5, 2016, at least 135 people are sick with that viral illness. Employees of seven food service businesses have been diagnosed with the disease, leading to a public rush on hepatitis A and immune globulin vaccinations. Most of those sickened live on the island of Oahu. Eight others live on other islands in the state, and one person is back on the mainland. The Hawaii Department of Health thinks that the source of the virus is a food product, since the range of illness onset is so wide, from mid-June through early August. Patients have been interviewed to try to find a common food source, but it can be very difficult to recall everything that … [Read more...]

Hawaii News Now is reporting that the Hawaii State Health Department has confirmed another case of hepatitis A in a State Department of Transportation employee. Any Department of Transportation employee who may have been exposed to this person are being offered vaccinations. There is no word on whether or not that person handled food, or when he or she worked. People infected with this virus are contagious for two weeks before symptoms begin, so they can make others sick before they even know they themselves are ill. State epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Park also said that public health officials are zeroing in on the cause of the outbreak. She told Hawaii News Now that "The indications are that whatever it is, this is not a fresh product its probably something that keeps for a while … [Read more...]

Another food worker in Hawaii has been diagnosed with hepatitis A. A person who worked at Tamashiro Market at 802 North King Street in Kalihi on the island of Oahu is sick with the viral illness. The market closed on August 5, 2016 and will reopen when employees are tested and cleared. That person worked in the fish market on July 2, 4, 6-8, 11-13, 15-19, and 23, 2016. If you purchased food at that market on those dates, please contact your healthcare provider for advice. The hepatitis A and immune globulin shots are only effective if given within two weeks of exposure to the virus. That means if you visited Tamashiro Market,  on the days the worker was there, you are no longer eligible for the vaccination. All you can do is watch for symptoms of hepatitis A, which usually appear … [Read more...]

The Hawaii Department of Health has updated its investigation into the hepatitis A outbreak in that state. Now 93 people are sick with the viral infection. And another food handler on the island was diagnosed with the disease. Officials have still not identified the source of the outbreak. This illness has a long incubation period of two weeks to a month, and patients are often not able to remember the foods they consumed or where they ate during the exposure period. Healthcare workers are informed to notify the HDOH immediately if they think a patient has hepatitis A. As of July 26, 2016, 19 new cases of hepatitis A have been diagnosed. All of the cases have been in adults. Of the 93 people sickened, 29 have been hospitalized because their illness is so severe. The illness onset … [Read more...]

The Hawaii State Department of Health issued a press release that confirms a second case of hepatitis A in a food workers. That person worked at the Taco Bell restaurant in Waipio at 94-790 Ukee Street. There is a hepatitis A outbreak in Hawaii that has sickened at least 52 people; now 53. State Epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Park said in a statement, "it is important to note that neither the Waikele Baskin-Robbins nor the Waipio Taco Bell have been identified as the source of infection for this outbreak. These are merely places where the victims were employed. The likelihood that patrons of these food establishments will become infected is very low, but to prevent possible additional cases, we are notifying the public so they may seek advice and help from their healthcare … [Read more...]