Colorado Health Department narrows listed of eateries that used hepatitis-infected strawberries

DENVER – The Colorado Department of Health has narrowed the list of restaurants at which people may have eaten strawberries possibly infected with hepatitis A.

Friday, the health department said there were 13 eateries in Colorado that may have served the strawberries in question, which were imported from Egypt.

But Monday, the department had narrowed its list to just seven, which includes four in Denver:

Anyone who has eaten at any of the establishments listed within the past 14 days is advised to talk with their health care providers about whether or not they need shots that prevent hepatitis A.

The list has been narrowed down to show the dates the restaurants last served the infected strawberries.

The Weld County Department of Health and Environment added two other locations that served the recalled strawberries that do not yet appear on the list above:

• Weld County - Fat Albert's Restaurant - 1717 23rd Ave. - Greeley (Strawberries were last served on Oct. 24)
• Weld County - Red Rooster Restaurant -  4330 CO-66 - Longmont (Strawberries were last served on Oct. 28)

So far, 134 people have been diagnosed with hepatitis A in the following states: Arkansas, California, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

“Hepatitis A is a contagious liver infection that results from exposure to the hepatitis A virus. Illness from hepatitis A generally begins around 28 days after exposure (a range of 15–50 days) and symptoms include fatigue, stomach pain, jaundice, dark urine and clay-colored stool,” health officials said in a press release obtained by Denver7.

Hepatitis A can range from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious illness lasting several months. In rare cases, the infection can lead to liver failure, particularly in people who have a pre-existing liver disease or weakened immune systems, the health official added.

For more information about this outbreak, go to the CDC’s website here.