Public health officials are urging people who have eaten cold or uncooked food or who are unsure what they ate from April 21 to May 12 at a seafood restaurant called Roy Moore’s Fish Shack to contact their medical provider due to possible exposure to hepatitis A.
According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, a food service employee, who worked at the restaurant during those dates, has been confirmed to have hepatitis A, which could have exposed the customers to the infection through contaminated food and beverages.
DPH said, “Hepatitis A vaccine and hepatitis A immune globulin may be effective at preventing hepatitis A infection if administered within two weeks of exposure.”
The signs and symptoms of hepatitis A are fever, nausea, loss of appetite, and jaundice (yellowing of the skin and conjunctiva, and dark urine).
DPH officials said that hepatitis A may vary in terms of severity; mild cases may last for up to two weeks or less, while severe cases may last for up to four to six weeks or even longer. They advised people to seek medical attention even if the symptoms are mild.
The officials have also advised people who ate cold or uncooked foods at the restaurant specified to be particularly thorough in hand washing after toileting or prior to food preparation to prevent potential further spread of the disease. Hand washing, in particular, should include vigorous washing with soap and warm water. You can obtain more information on hepatitis A from local health departments, medical providers or the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, and the Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences.
