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Whole Foods and Detroit public health officials continue the investigation on the Hepatitis A cases.
A Whole Foods store is currently investigated after two men contracted the Hepatitis A virus. Detroit officials urge anyone who consumed prepared foods between October 6 and October 12 to visit a physician and consider getting a vaccination for post-exposure.
An employee working for the Mack Avenue Whole Foods store got infected with the virus first, while another customer later tested positive as well. After samples had been taken from the grocery store, experts concluded that the Hepatitis A virus was in the prepared foods.
However, there is also the risk that it might have spread to other sections as well. Although the public health officials thoroughly investigated both cases, it is still unclear how the two men contracted the virus.
According to the latest reports from the Health Department of Detroit, the employee was a food handler, so he might have got infected after touching the prepared foods, but the second case remains a total mystery.
That is why all customers who might have consumed any prepared foods from the Detroit market between October 6 and October 12 must immediately speak to their physician in order to receive the proper preventive treatment.
It is worth mentioning that the post-exposure vaccine can be considered effective only within 14 days after exposure. In other words, only consumers who bought beverages or food from the contaminated section between October 8 and 12 could get a shot of the vaccine.
According to Abdul El-Sayed, Executive Director of the Health Department, both Whole Foods and the public health care officials are puzzled by this situation because the company has a strict food safety policy designed to prevent these types of incidents.
Whole Foods Market has offered its full cooperation and with the help of the Detroit officials, they will double their efforts to address this issue and prevent the onset of a Hepatitis A outbreak.
All employees received preventive treatment, and they are currently monitored to early detect any future cases. This contagious disease includes symptoms such as dark urine, yellow skin and eyes, abdominal pain, vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, and fever.
However, these symptoms might develop only after a few weeks, especially in children. Whole Foods and public health officials ask anyone who experiences these symptoms to seek a physician immediately.
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