The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said this week that it is still tracking hepatitis A cases throughout the country as part of its surveillance of a Hep A outbreak associated with Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend of berries and pomegranate seeds sold at Costco stores. Oregon-based Townsend Farms issued recalls of the frozen berry mix starting in early June, two months after the first illnesses were detected. As of July 15, there were 147 confirmed case patients from California, Colorado, Arizona and five other states. At least 63 of the Hepatitis victims were hospitalized. New illnesses were occurring as recently as July 1 and the CDC has not declared the Townsend Farms outbreak to be complete. Joint announcements by the CDC and FDA have indicated … [Read more...]
Hepatitis A Outbreak Linked to Townsend Farms-Costco Pomegranate Seeds Grows Again
As of July 11, 2013, 145 people in eight states have now been sickened in the Townsend Farms-Costco hepatitis A pomegranate seed outbreak. Sixty-three people have been hospitalized; no deaths have been reported. Those sickened ate the recalled Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend frozen berry and pomegranate mix purchased from Costco. Investigations have traced the virus back to pomegranate seeds imported from Turkey by Goknur Foodstuffs Import Export Trading. The case count per state is: Arizona (21), California (70), Colorado (28), Hawaii (8), New Mexico (7), Nevada (6), Utah (3), and Wisconsin (2). The cases in Wisconsin were exposed to the product in California. Fifty-six percent of the ill persons are women. The age range is from 1 to 84 years. Ten children age 18 or under … [Read more...]
Legal Review of Liability Continues in Costco Hepatitis Lawsuit
U.S. District Court in Arizona is the venue for a Costco hepatitis lawsuit where food poisoning lawyers from Pritzker Olsen Attorneys and local counsel are attempting to establish where the fault lies for an outbreak in California, Colorado, Arizona and five other states that federal disease investigators have associated with Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), all ill people who reported eating this mixed berry product purchased it from Costco markets. The product also was sold at Harris Teeter stores, but no ill people have been identified that bought the product at Harris Teeter, the CDC has said. The hepatitis lawsuit (2:13-cv-01181-ROS) names Costco Wholesale Corp. and Oregon-based Townsend Farms Inc. as … [Read more...]
Townsend Farms-Costco Hepatitis A Outbreak Grows to 143 Sick
The Townsend Farms-Costco Hepatitis A outbreak linked to imported pomegranate seeds from Turkey has grown to include 143 sick, according to the CDC. So far, 62 people have been hospitalized. There have been no deaths. The outbreak case count by state is: Arizona (21), California (69), Colorado (28), Hawaii (8), New Mexico (6), Nevada (6), Utah (3), and Wisconsin (2). Illness onset dates range from 3/31/13 to 6/24/13. All of the sick people reported purchasing the product from Costco markets. The age range of patients is from 1 to 84 years. The CDC and FDA have determined that the most likely source of the virus is a shipment of pomegranate seeds from Goknur Foodstuffs Import Export Trading, a company in Turkey. That product is being detained by the FDA when it is offered for … [Read more...]
Hepatitis A Outbreak Linked to Townsend Farms Pomegranate Seeds Grows to 131
The hepatitis A outbreak linked to pomegranate seeds imported from Turkey has been updated by the CDC. Now 131 people are sick in 8 states. Fifty-nine people have been hospitalized, and there have been no deaths reported. As of June 28, 2013, the case count per states is: Arizona (19), California (66), Colorado (25), Hawaii (7), New Mexico (5), Nevada (5), Utah (2), and Wisconsin (2). The cases in Wisconsin ate the product when they were in California. All patients became ill after eating Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant blend frozen berry and pomegranate mix purchased at Costco. Illness onset dates range from 3/31/13 to 6/24/13. All of the people who have been hospitalized are over the age of 18. The outbreak strain of the hepatitis A virus, genotype 1B, was found in clinical … [Read more...]
Townsend Farms Expands Frozen Berry Blend Recall
Townsend Farms is expanding its recall of Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend that is linked to a hepatitis A outbreak in eight states. There is a "clear association" between the hepatitis A illness outbreak and one lot of organic pomegranate seeds used in the recalled product. The lot was imported from Turkey through Goknur and Purely Pomegranate, Inc. The product has been tested and the results to date have not detected hepatitis A. The recalled product is a 3 pound bag with UPC number 0 78414 40444 8. The recall codes are on the back of the package with the words "BEST BY" followed by the code T122114 sequentially through T053115, followed by a letter. That means a "best by" date of 12/21/14 through 5/31/15. All letter designations are included in this recall. Epidemiological … [Read more...]
Costco Hepatitis A Lawsuit Filed for Man Sickened by Berry Mix Produced by Townsend Farms
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...]
Townsend Farms Hepatitis A Risk for A Frame Espresso in Fort Bragg CA
Customers of A Frame Espresso in Fort Bragg, CA who ordered smoothies between March 4 and June 8 are at risk of hepatitis A infection. The coffee shop used recalled Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend berries to make the smoothies, the Mendocino County Public Health Department has warned. The berries, which were sold at Coscto stores, have been associated with an outbreak of hepatitis A that has sickened at least 119 people in seven states. The cases by state are as follows: Arizona (16), California (61), Colorado (24), Hawaii (5), New Mexico (5), Nevada (5), and Utah (3). Hepatitis A is a virus that causes liver inflammation. Symptoms can take up to seven weeks after exposure to develop and include: fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, vomiting, stomach pain, and yellowing of … [Read more...]
Townsend Farms Hepatitis Outbreak: 5 of 113 Sick Are Children
The Townsend Farms hepatitis A outbreak associated with berries sold at Costco has sickened 113 people, 5 of whom are under 18, according to a June 21 update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The 113 confirmed cases are in the following seven states: Arizona (15), California (57), Colorado (23), Hawaii (5), New Mexico (5), Nevada (5), and Utah (3). Fifty people have been hospitalized. The case patients range in age from 2 to 84, although most are between the ages of 40 and 64. About 59 percent of the case patients are female. Based on information from interviews with patients, onset of illness dates ranged from March 31 2013 – June 13 2013. All patients who reported eating berries in question- Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend, said they purchased … [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...]
