Maricopa County issued the following announcement on July 1.
Maricopa County Department of Public Health (MCDPH) has identified a hepatitis A exposure at the Genghis Grill restaurant in Tempe Marketplace, at 2000 E. Rio Salado Pkwy., Tempe, AZ 85281. Although the risk of transmission to restaurant patrons is thought to be low, some restaurant patrons who ate at Genghis Grill at Tempe Marketplace may have been exposed to Hepatitis A.
Individuals who ate at the restaurant on Tuesday, June 18 are still within the 2-week window for vaccine to be effective at preventing infection from this exposure through Tuesday, July 2 (if they are not already vaccinated). These individuals should contact their healthcare provider (call ahead to make sure they have the vaccine) or go to any pharmacy to get the vaccine. Those who do not have health insurance can go to www.MCHepA.org to locate a county vaccination clinic. Tell the clinic you ate at Genghis Grill restaurant in Tempe Marketplace on June 18.
Individuals who ate at Genghis Grill only on the following dates may have been exposed to hepatitis A:
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Anyone who ate at the restaurant on these days should see a healthcare provider if they start experiencing symptoms. These include nausea, diarrhea, loss of appetite, vomiting, fatigue, fever abdominal pain, dark-colored urine, light or whitish colored bowel movements, and jaundice (a yellow color to the skin and/or eyes).
Symptoms usually develop approximately one month after exposure to the virus, but can appear anywhere from 15-50 days after exposure. Persons with these symptoms should see their healthcare provider and should practice good handwashing and avoid preparing food or drinks for others, or caring for patients or children in a childcare facility while ill.
Anyone who ate at the restaurant on days that are not listed above were not exposed during this exposure and do not need to do anything.
Genghis Grill restaurant is working closely with Maricopa County on this investigation, and all restaurant employees at this location have been offered hepatitis A vaccine.
Hepatitis A is a viral illness that affects the liver. It is spread by eating food, drinking water or touching surfaces that have been contaminated with stool from an infected person, such as someone not properly washing their hands.
To limit the spread of hepatitis A and many other diseases, health officials recommend washing hands thoroughly after using the toilet or changing diapers; washing hands thoroughly before eating, touching or preparing food; and staying home if you’re not feeling well.
Maricopa County is part of a larger statewide and national outbreak of hepatitis A affecting people who use or inject illegal drugs or drugs without a prescription; people who are or recently were experiencing unstable housing or homelessness; and people who are or recently were in jail or prison. Any individual who meets these criteria and is not vaccinated against hepatitis A is at risk of becoming infected and should get the hepatitis A vaccine.
To find clinics offering the vaccine to high-risk individuals and for more information about hepatitis A, please visit www.MCHepA.org
Original source can be found here.