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...]
Tropical Smoothie Employee Diagnosed with Hepatitis A
An employee at the Tropical Smoothie Cafe restaurant at 8069 Stonewall Shops Square in Gainesville, Virginia has been diagnosed with hepatitis A. That restaurant chain has been linked to a hepatitis A outbreak in Virginia that has sickened at least 35 people. But this news means that people who ate at that specific restaurant on certain dates should call their doctors. Anyone who visited that restaurant between July 28, 2016 and August 18, 2016 may have been exposed to hepatitis A by the employee as well as the imported strawberries that are linked to the outbreak. People who ate or drank anything at that restaurant in Gainesville on August 15, 16, 17, or 18 may still be eligible for a vaccination against the virus. Vaccinations are only effective if given within two weeks of … [Read more...]
How Does Hepatitis A Get on Strawberries?
The hepatitis A outbreak in Virginia that is linked to strawberries imported from Egypt and allegedly used in smoothies sold at Tropical Smoothie Cafe locations in that state is raising questions about how the virus is transmitted. The hepatitis A virus is very hardy and contagious. But how does it get on fruit? In 2013, a large nationwide hepatitis A (HAV) outbreak sickened at least 165 people. Those illnesses were linked to Townsend Farms frozen berries that were sold at Costco stores. Traceback investigations found that pomegranates in that product, imported from Goknur, Turkey, were the source of the virus. The genotype of hepatitis A in that outbreak was very rare on the American continent, but common in the Middle East. The food and drinks that are most likely to be … [Read more...]
Tropical Smoothie Cafe Hepatitis A Outbreak at 17
The hepatitis A outbreak associated with Tropical Smoothie Cafe products in Virginia has now sickened at least 17 people, according to the Virginia Department of Health. The outbreak has been linked to strawberries imported from Egypt that were used in smoothies. Testing on the virus in ill persons has revealed it matches a hepatitis A strain that was found in Egyptian strawberries that caused outbreaks in the past. Tropical Smoothie Cafe is a chain restaurant with locations in Virginia in the cities of Oakton, Leesburg, Fredericksburg, Falls Church, Arlington, Alexandria, and others. There are five cases of the illness in the Eastern Region, four in the Northern Region, four in the Northwestern Region and four in the Central Region. The chain has found another source of … [Read more...]
