SOUTHERN INDIANA — As Floyd County health officials investigate 10 confirmed cases of Hepatitis A, Clark County officials have confirmed four new cases since first announcing an outbreak last week.
That brings the total in Clark County to 29, according to Health Officer Dr. Eric Yazel. The newest cases are still under surveillance, but Yazel said preliminary findings show there isn't a high public risk of exposure — meaning the cases haven't been linked to high-trafficked areas.
When Yazel announced an outbreak last week, two cases were linked to Henryville Elementary School, moving the district to close the campus to sanitize the building.
Eleven cases were confirmed at the Clark County jail, where officials ramped up cleaning efforts and vaccinated hundreds of inmates. Yazel said he expected another 280 inmates to be vaccinated Friday night.
In Floyd County, an employee at the Bob Evans on State Street in New Albany was diagnosed with Hepatitis A. The Floyd County Health Department advised that anyone who had eaten at that location between Feb. 20 and March 9 and who had developed symptoms should seek medical attention.
Pam Ritz, who works in Bob Evans' risk management department, said the company was notified of the diagnosis on Thursday, the same day the health department sent out a news release. Ritz said any delay was likely due to the wait time needed to diagnose and investigate a Hepatitis A case, and for that information to work its way up and down the chain.
The Floyd County Health Department refused to answer further questions regarding the outbreak, instead referring to the news release.
Ritz said the restaurant did not have to shut down, but that cleaning protocols approved by the health department have been carried out. She added that the employee in question hasn't worked at the restaurant in about two weeks, and that daily measures — such as employees wearing gloves to handle food — protect from the spread of communicable diseases.
Bob Evans has set up a hotline for customers to call if they think they may have been exposed, or to address their questions and concerns. That number is 844-617-8236 and operates from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
Last week, Yazel told the News and Tribune the recent cases in Clark County could, in part, be attributed to the outbreak in Louisville, where there are now over 150 confirmed cases of Hepatitis A. The Louisville Metro Department of Public Health announced Friday that employees at two Louisville food establishments have been diagnosed with the virus:
• An employee of the Kroger store at 520 N. 35th St. Customers who shopped at the store March 2-19 may have been exposed to the virus.
• An employee of Sarino restaurant at 1030 Goss Ave. Customers who ate at the restaurant Feb. 24-March 15 may have been exposed to the virus.
In a series of tweets, the Louisville health department said that anyone who works in food or hospitality should be vaccinated. It also noted that the most at-risk groups include the homeless, the recently incarcerated, and people who use illegal drugs.
The best way to prevent Hepatitis A is by getting vaccinated, according to health officials. Children in kindergarten through Grade 3 have likely been immunized against Hepatitis A. Older children and adults may not have been immunized and are urged to check their vaccination status.
Hepatitis A is a viral infection of the liver and is considered highly contagious. Symptoms can vary, from severe to none at all. They may include: loss of appetite, nausea, tiredness, fever, stomach ache, dark (cola) colored urine, and light colored stools. Jaundice (yellowing of the eyes or skin) may appear a few days after the onset of these symptoms. People can become ill 15 to 50 days after being exposed to the virus.
The virus can be transmitted through fecal-oral routes or through consumption of contaminated food or water. Individuals can contract the virus through contact with foods prepared or served by an infected person, stool or blood of an infected person and inanimate objects that may have trace amounts of fecal material from hand contact.
Most people who get Hepatitis A feel sick for several weeks, but they usually recover completely and do not have lasting liver damage. Anyone who is exhibiting symptoms of Hepatitis A should contact a health care provider immediately.
Individuals with symptoms should not prepare or serve food to others and should wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before and after eating and after restroom use.