The Hawaii Department of Health has updated their investigation into the hepatitis A outbreak in that state. As of September 7, 2016, 252 people have been sickened. That is an increase of 11 new cases since last Wednesday. All of the cases have been in adults. Sixty-six people have required hospitalization because their illnesses are so severe. Illness onset dates have ranged between 6/12/16 to 8/30/16. On August 15, 2016, the government identified raw scallops, imported from the Philippines, that were served at Genki Sushi restaurants on Oahu and Kauai as a likely source of the outbreak. The product, Sea Port Bay Scallops (Wild Harvest, Raw Frozen) was distributed by Koha Oriental Foods. Because the incubation period of this particular virus can be so long, and because the virus … [Read more...]
Hawaii Scallop Hepatitis A Outbreak Sickens 228
The hepatitis A outbreak in Hawaii linked to imported frozen raw scallops has now sickened 228 people, according to an update by the Hawaii Department of Health. That is an increase of 22 cases since last week. All of the cases have been in adults. Fifty-eight people have been hospitalized because the illnesses are so severe. Illness onset dates have ranged from 6/12/16 to 8/16/16. There will probably be more cases identified in the coming weeks, since the incubation period for the virus is 2 weeks to 50 days, and the the product believed responsible for the outbreak stopped being sold in mid-August. The source of the outbreak is focused on Oahu. Public health inspectors found that raw scallops served at Genki Sushi restaurants on the islands of Oahu and Kauai were the likely … [Read more...]
Sea Scallops Recalled for Hepatitis A Sold to Restaurants in California, Nevada
Imported sea scallops linked to a Hepatitis A outbreak that has sickened 206 people in Hawaii were also sold to restaurants and retailers in California and Nevada. While it's not clear at this point, which areas of California might be affected, health officials in Nevada say they are not investigating any reports of illnesses linked to the scallops and that "small quantities of the product were received by a local distributor and subsequently discarded; none of the product had been used, distributed or sold." The scallops were supplied by Sea Port Products Corp. which issued a recall for frozen bay scallops produced on November 23, 2015 and 24, 2015 with lot numbers 5885, 5886, and 5887. Hepatitis A is a contagious liver disease that is spread from person to person and through the … [Read more...]
FDA, CDC Join Hepatitis A Outbreak Investigation Linked to Sea Scallops
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have joined the investigation into a Hepatitis A outbreak in Hawaii that has sickened 206 people. Along with the Hawaii Department of Health, the agencies have conducted epidemiological, laboratory and traceback investigations that have identified sea scallops supplied by Sea Port Products Corp. as the source of the outbreak. On August 18, 2016, the company issued a recall for three lots of frozen bay scallops, produced on November 23, 2015 and 24, 2015, with lot numbers 5885, 5886, and 5887. The recalled scallops were distributed to restaurants and retailers in California, Hawaii, and Nevada. Hepatitis A is a contagious liver disease that is spread from person to person and through … [Read more...]
Hawaii Blocks Sale of Scallops Linked to Hepatitis A Outbreak
Hawaiian health officials have blocked the sale of imported sea scallops linked to an outbreak that has sickened more than 200 people. The Hawaii Department of Health identified raw scallops from Sea Port Bay Scallops (Wild Harvest, Raw Frozen) that originated in the Philippines as the source of an outbreak. The scallops, served at Genki Sushi restaurants on Oahu and Kauai and distributed by Koha Oriental Foods and True World Foods, can no longer be sold in the state. Hepatitis A has a long incubation period. Sometimes people who are infected show no symptoms. This has made tracking the origin of the outbreak difficult for health officials. Symptoms of an infection include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, abdominal discomfort, dark urine, diarrhea, and yellow skin and eyes. These … [Read more...]
