As of September 14, 2016, 94 Virginia residents have tested positive for hepatitis A after consuming a smoothie at Tropical Smoothie Cafes in that state. That is an increase of seven cases in Virginia from the last update on September 12, 2016. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is investigating this outbreak as well. Numbers from the CDC of patients in other states are: Maryland (10), New York (1), North Carolina (1), Oregon (1), West Virginia (5), and Wisconsin (1). That means that there are now at least 113 people sick in this outbreak. Nearly all of the ill persons interviewed reported drinking smoothies containing strawberries at Tropical Smoothie Cafe locations in Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia, according to the CDC. The Virginia … [Read more...]
Virginia Tropical Smoothie Hepatitis A Outbreak Grows to 85 Sick
The hepatitis A outbreak in Virginia, that is linked to Tropical Smooth Cafe strawberry products, has grown to include 85 people in that state alone, according to the Virginia Department of Health. That number is current as of September 12, 2016. Frozen strawberries imported from Egypt have been identified as the source of the virus. The patient age range is from 14 to 70 years old. Dates of illness onset range from early May through September. The count by region is: 48 Northern, 12 Northwest, 15 Eastern, 10 Central, 0 Southwest. About 40% of those sickened have been hospitalized because their illness is so serious. But there are people in this outbreak in other states who are sick too. According to the CDC, these are the case counts in other states: Maryland (10), New York (1), … [Read more...]
CDC Updates Tropical Smoothie Hepatitis A Outbreak Numbers
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated the number of those sickened in the hepatitis A outbreak linked to imported frozen strawberries sold at Tropical Smoothie Cafes in Virginia. Now, 89 people have been reported sickened in seven states. The case count by state is: Maryland (10), New York (1), North Carolina (1), Oregon (1), Virginia (70), West Virginia (5), and Wisconsin (1). Thirty-nine of those sickened have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported. Epidemiologic and traceback evidence indicates that frozen strawberries imported from Egypt are the likely source of this outbreak. Almost all of the ill persons interviewed in this investigation reported drinking smoothies made with strawberries at Tropical Smoothie Cafe locations before August 8, … [Read more...]
Now 73 Sick in VA in Tropical Smoothie Hepatitis A Outbreak
The Virginia Department of Health released another update on the hepatitis A outbreak among people who consumed a smoothie at Tropical Smoothie Cafe before they got sick. Now at least 73 people are sick in this outbreak that has spread to seven states. The patient age range is from 14 to 68. Onset of illness dates range from early May through August, 2016. The count by region in Virginia is: 40 Northern, 10 Northwest, 14 Eastern, 9 Central, 0 Southwest. About 42% of those sickened have been hospitalized because their illnesses are so severe. The smoothies were consumed before August 9, 2016. Tropical Smoothie Cafes in Virginia received frozen imported strawberries from Egypt. Testing found the hepatitis A virus in some of that product. The CDC has not updated their investigation … [Read more...]
Tropical Smoothie Virginia Hepatitis A Outbreak Grows Again
The hepatitis A outbreak associated with imported frozen strawberries served at Tropical Smoothie Cafes in Virginia has grown again. Now 70 people in Virginia are sick with this viral illness. That is an increase of four patients from September 2, 2016. About 41% of residents for whom information is available have been hospitalized because their illnesses are so serious. The patient age range is from 14 to 68. Illness onset dates range from early May through August. The case count in Virginia by region is 39 Northern, 10 Northwest, 14 Eastern, 7 Central, and 0 Southwest. Tropical Smoothie Cafes stopped serving the berries, which were imported from Egypt, on August 8, 2016. That means that anyone who consumed smoothies that contained strawberries in Virginia locations … [Read more...]
FDA Collaborates with Egypt on Strawberry Hepatitis A Outbreak
The FDA is working with the Egyptian International Health Regulations National Focal Point about the investigation of strawberries that have been linked to a hepatitis A outbreak centered in Virginia. That outbreak, linked to Tropical Smoothie Cafes in that state, has sickened at least 70 people who live in 7 states. Public health officials are trying to identify all parts of the supply chain that brought the berries to the U.S. Government officials are "prohibited by law in most situations from releasing publicly certain confident commercial information about supply chains," according to the FDA notice on this outbreak. FDA has increased surveillance of imported strawberries as a result of this outbreak investigation and "will provide more information as it becomes available." FDA … [Read more...]
Tropical Smoothie Cafe Hepatitis A Hospitalization Rate Double the Average
The Hepatitis A strain linked to Tropical Smoothie Cafe outbreak is packing a wallop. Generally, about 20 percent of people with a Hepatitis A infection require hospitalization, but in this outbreak, the hospitalization rate is 46 percent. The outbreak has been linked to frozen strawberries imported from Egypt, which were removed from all store locations on August 9, according to the company. But because Hepatitis A has an incubation period that can take up to 50 days, new cases are still being reported. So far, 81 cases in seven states have been confirmed: Maryland (6), New York (1), North Carolina (1), Oregon (1), Virginia (66), West Virginia (5), and Wisconsin (1). Hepatitis A, a virus that affects the liver, isn't common in the U.S. Since the vaccine against this virus was … [Read more...]
Tropical Smoothie Cafe Hepatitis A Outbreak: 81 Illnesses in 7 States
The Tropical Smoothie Cafe Hepatitis A outbreak continues to expand and now includes at least 81 confirmed cases in seven states. The outbreak has been linked to frozen strawberries imported from Egypt which, the company says, were removed from all stores on August 9. Most of the illnesses are in Virginia where the case count increased from 55 yesterday to 66 today. Hepatitis A has can take as long as 50 days to incubate, so although these cases are newly confirmed, they stem from contaminated smoothies served at Tropical Smoothie Cafes before August 9. The 66 people sickened in Virginia range in age from 14 to 68 and reported onset of illnesses dates ranging from May to August. About 42 percent of them were so sick they required hospitalization. The case count by region of the … [Read more...]
West Virginia Hard Hit by Tropical Smoothie Cafe Hepatitis A Outbreak
West Virgina has been hard hit by the Tropical Smoothie Cafe Hepatitis A outbreak. Five people in West Virginia are among more than 70 confirmed cases in seven states who developed Hepatitis A infections after drinking a smoothie from Tropical Smoothie Cafe. Other cases in West Virginia have been reported and are still under investigation. State health officials are working with health departments in Berkeley and Jefferson counties to investigate reports of illnesses associated with frozen strawberries imported from Egypt and served at Tropical Smoothie Cafe locations. Hepatitis A is a virus that affects the liver. It is spread from person to person and when infected people handle foods or beverages that are consumed by others. People with Hepatitis A infections can be contagious … [Read more...]
Tropical Smoothie Cafe Hepatitis A Outbreak Expands to 7 States
The Tropical Smoothie Cafe Hepatitis A outbreak has expanded to seven states. At least 70 people have been sickened and 32 of them have been hospitalized, which is a hospitalization rate that is more than double the average for this illness. Frozen strawberries imported from Egypt have been identified as the likely source of this outbreak. Tropical Smoothie Cafe reported that the contaminated strawberries were removed from all locations by August 8 and that stores nationwide have all received frozen strawberries from a new supplier. At this time, no other restaurants or retailers have been identified as having received the tainted strawberries, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Federal health officials say that while the contaminated food source has … [Read more...]
