In an unexpected announcement, the FDA says that the recalled frozen strawberries imported from Egypt that are linked to a hepatitis A outbreak in the eastern United States were sold to schools and institutions across the country. In the official outbreak linked to Tropical Smoothie Cafe products, five of the 134 people sickened did not consume those products. The FDA says that frozen strawberry products recalled by The International Company for Agricultural Production and Processing (ICAPP) may have been served in food service operations as recently as October 27, 2016. The products were "included but not limited to" whole, sliced, and sugared strawberries and diced strawberries. The five companies that received frozen strawberry products from ICAPP are: C.H. Belt of Lake … [Read more...]
ICAPP Recalls Frozen Strawberries for Hepatitis A
The International Company for Agricultural Production and Processing (ICAPP) is voluntarily recalling all frozen strawberries imported since the beginning of 2016 in response to an FDA investigation of a hepatitis A outbreak. This is the outbreak that sickened more than 100 people this summer that is linked to Tropical Smoothie Cafe restaurants in the eastern United States. These strawberries were distributed to food service establishments nationwide. They were not in food products offered at retail to consumers. But this news release is being issued to help reduce possible risk to public health. None of ICAPP's own testing has found hepatitis A in any of its products with its own third party testing, but they are recalling all frozen strawberries imported into the U.S. since … [Read more...]
Hawaii Hepatitis A Outbreak Stops Growing
The hepatitis A outbreak in Hawaii that has sickened hundreds of people has stopped growing, according to a new post by the Hawaii state Department of Health. From October 6 to October 19, 2016, three new cases were identified. In the last week, no new cases were identified. Illness onset dates have ranged from 6/12/16 - 10/9/16. In total, 291 people were sickened in this outbreak. Seventy-three of them, or 25%, had to be hospitalized because they were so sick. The typical hospitalization rate in a hepatitis A outbreak is about 20%, so the number of people hospitalized in this outbreak is slightly higher than average. The 50 day maximum incubation period from the time the outbreak cause was identified has passed, so no new primary onset cases should be reported. Officials … [Read more...]
FDA Bans Certain Egyptian Frozen Strawberries for Hepatitis A
The hepatitis A outbreak linked to Tropical Smoothie Cafe products that were made with frozen strawberries has sickened at least 134 people, according to the FDA. Those berries were allegedly imported from Egypt, according to government officials. Now the FDA has issued an import alert banning frozen strawberries from one Egyptian facility, although a portion of the alert with details about the ban is redacted. The only portion in the "notes" field on the alert that isn't blacked out is the phrase "Problem(s): Hepatitis A (1b)." The facility is the International Company for Agricultural Production & Processing. The "1b" denotes the strain of hepatitis A. A notice posted on the Virginia Department of Health website in August 2016 states that testing on the patients has confirmed … [Read more...]
CDC Updates Hepatitis A Outbreak Linked to Frozen Strawberries
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is updating its investigation into the hepatitis A outbreak linked to frozen strawberries imported from Egypt. As of October 17, 2016, 134 people with the illness have been reported from nine states. The outbreak case count by state is: Arkansas (1), California (1), Maryland (12), New York (3), North Carolina (1), Oregon (1), Virginia (107), West Virginia (7), and Wisconsin (1). Fifty-two ill persons have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported. The patient in Oregon purchased smoothies from a Tropical Smoothie Cafe in Virginia while traveling. The outbreak case count is so high in Virginia because Tropical Smoothie Cafe restaurants in that state, as well as in Maryland, North Carolina, and West Virginia, received the … [Read more...]
Oahu, Hawaii McDonald’s Worker Sick with Hepatitis A
A worker at the McDonald's of Kahala restaurant at 4618 Kilauea Avenue in Honolulu, Oahu has been diagnosed with hepatitis A, according to the Hawaii Department of Health. This announcement was made on the page that agency established for updates on the hepatitis A outbreak that has sickened almost 300 people in that state. Those sickened ate raw scallops at Genki Sushi restaurants that were imported from the Philippines. The outbreak has slowed considerably in the past few weeks. The food worker at McDonald's worked September 20-21, 23-24, 27-28, and October 1, 4-5, 7 and 11, 2016. If you ate or drank anything at that restaurant on those days, you may have been exposed to hepatitis A. State Epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Park said in a statement, "This case was identified and … [Read more...]
Hawaii Hepatitis A Outbreak Increases to 288 Sick
The hepatitis A outbreak in Hawaii that was linked to frozen raw scallops imported from the Philippines has now sickened 288 people as of October 5, 2016. That is an increase of six new cases since the last update on September 28, 2016. Seventy-one people, or 25%, have been hospitalized because their illness is so severe. Most of those sickened live on Oahu. Ten of the patients live on Hawaii, Kauai, or Maui, and six were visitors who have returned to the mainland or overseas. The 50-day incubation period from the date the scallops were embargoed has passed, but secondary infections can still occur. In addition, some people who were sickened earlier may decide to see a doctor now. Secondary cases have been rare in this outbreak, according to the Hawaiian Department of Health, and … [Read more...]
Tropical Smoothie Hepatitis A Outbreak Starts to Slow
The hepatitis A outbreak linked to frozen strawberries imported from Egypt and served in Tropical Smoothie Cafe products has slowed down, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The press release says, "information at this time does not indicate an ongoing risk of acquiring hepatitis A virus infection at Tropical Smoothie Cafes, as the contaminated food product has been removed as of August 8, 2016." But there may still be people diagnosed with infections from those products. Symptoms of hepatitis A can take as long as 50 days to appear. That means that someone sickened on August 8, 2016 could start feeling sick September 27, 2016. That person then has to go to the doctor and be diagnosed before they would be included in the outbreak case count. The CDC's … [Read more...]
Hawaii Hepatitis A Outbreak Grows to 282 Sick
The hepatitis A outbreak in Hawaii linked to frozen scallops imported from the Philippines has now sickened 282 people, according to the latest update from the Hawaii State Department of Health. That is an increase of six new cases since the last update on September 21, 2016. All of the cases have been in adults. Seventy-one people have been hospitalized because their illness is so serious. That's a hospitalization rate of 25%, slightly higher than the average 20% rate in a typical hepatitis A outbreak. Most of those sickened live on the island of Oahu. Five people live on the mainland or overseas. Public health officials announced on August 15, 2016, that raw scallops served at Genki Sushi restaurants on Oahu and Kauai are the "likely source" of the ongoing outbreak. The product … [Read more...]
Tropical Smoothie Virginia Hepatitis A Outbreak Grows to 105
The hepatitis A outbreak linked to Tropical Smoothie Cafes has grown to include 105 sick in Virginia alone. The CDC has not updated their investigation into this outbreak since September 16, 2016. The CDC's numbers for those sickened in other states are: Arkansas (1), Maryland (12), New York (3), North Carolina (1), Oregon (1), West Virginia (6), and Wisconsin (1). That means there are at least 130 people sick with hepatitis A infections in this particular outbreak. In Virginia, the case count by region is: 60 Northern, 15 Northwest, 17 Eastern, 13 Central, 0 Southwest. About 35% of those sickened have been hospitalized because their illnesses are so serious. The patient age range is 14 to 70. Illness onset dates are from early May through September 2016. This outbreak is slowing … [Read more...]
