An E. coli outbreak associated with raw milk that occurred in March 2016 was announced at the Virginia Department of Health Field Epidemiology Seminar, held on June 2, 2017 in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Daniel Ferrell, MPH, District Epidemiologist for the Rappahannock-Rapidan Health district presented the information. In March 2016, a doctor notified the Virginia Department of Health of four hospitalized patients who were diagnosed with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) infections. Two of those patients developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). All of the patients consumed raw milk from a farm in the Rappahannock-Rapidan Health District as part of a herd-share program. Officials continued to receive more report of patients with STEC infections or HUS who had also consumed raw … [Read more...]
Illnesses at Chipotle Mexican Grill in Sterling, Virginia
An outbreak of illness has sickened about 60 people after they ate at the Chipotle Mexican Grill in Sterling, Virginia, according to the Loudoun County Health Department. Dr. David Goodfriend, director of the department, said, "one ill patron has tested positive for norovirus. This provides additional information but is not sufficient to determine the cause of the outbreak. The Health Department is awaiting further test results, which should be available early next week." On Monday, July 17, 2017, LCHD was notified by the Chipotle Mexican Grill at 21031 Tripleseven Road, Sterling, VA 20165, and by local medical providers of customers complaining of nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea over the previous two days. The restaurant closed voluntarily. Health Department officials investigated … [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...]
Virginia Hepatitis A Tropical Smoothie Outbreak Grows to 102 Sick
The hepatitis A outbreak in Virginia associated with Tropical Smoothie Cafe has grown to include 102 people. All of those reported consuming a smoothie at Tropical Smoothie Cafe before they got sick. About 37% of those sickened in this outbreak have been hospitalized for their illness because they are so sick. . The 102 ill persons range in age from 14 to 70. The onset of illness dates range from early May through September. The case count by region is: 59 Northern, 15 Northwest, 16 Eastern, 12 Central, 0 Southwest. The CDC says that at least 25 others are sick in this outbreak, which brings the nationwide total to 127. Epidemiologic and traceback evidence indicate that frozen strawberries imported from Egypt used to make the smoothies are the likely source of this outbreak. The … [Read more...]
Tropical Smoothie Virginia Hepatitis A Case Count Grows Again
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...]
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...]
CDC Warns Consumers in Four States About Tropical Smoothies
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is warning consumers in four states to contact their doctors if they got sick after eating a strawberry smoothie from a Tropical Smoothie Cafe before August 8, 2016 in four states. Those states are Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and North Carolina. A hepatitis A outbreak is linked to the strawberries in those products. That outbreak has sickened at least 70 people who live in seven states. The case count by state is: Maryland (6), New York (1), North Carolina (1), Oregon (1), Virginia (55), West Virginia (5), and Wisconsin (1). In interviews, almost all of those sickened said they ate smoothies containing strawberries at Tropical Smoothie Cafe locations in those four states. Tropical Smoothie Cafe reported the Egyptian … [Read more...]
Virginia Hepatitis A Outbreak Now at 44 Sick
The Virginia Department of Health is updating the hepatitis A outbreak case count in that state every day at noon. As of 12:00 pm on August 30, 2016, 44 Virginia residents who tested positive for hepatitis A reported consuming a smoothie at Tropical Smoothie Cafe before they got sick. About 50% of those sickened have been hospitalized because their illnesses are so severe. The patient age range is from 15 to 68. Illness onset dates range from early May through August. On August 12, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notified Department officials that the hepatitis A cluster in that state was caused by a strain of hepatitis A that was associated with past outbreaks due to frozen strawberries imported from Egypt. Tropical Smoothie Cafe stopped using the product at … [Read more...]
40 Now Sick in Virginia Tropical Smoothie Hepatitis A Outbreak
At least forty people are now sick in the hepatitis A outbreak associated with strawberry smoothies sold at the Tropical Smoothie Cafe restaurants in Virginia. That number is current as of 12:00 pm on August 29, 2016. The health department press release states that about 55% of the residents, for whom information is available, have been hospitalized for their illness. The 40 ill residents range in age from 15 to 68. Onsets of illness for the 40 patients range from early May through mid-August. That means that anyone who had a strawberry smoothie from a Tropical Smoothie Cafe restaurant in Virginia in April, May, June, July, or August may have been exposed to the virus. Since the longest incubation period for this illness is 50 days, anyone who ate there July 10, 2016 or later … [Read more...]
