Anyone who dined at Casey’s Bar and Grill from Jan. 15 to 20 is being urged to visit a free vaccine clinic to protect against possible hepatitis A infection.

Penny Sutcliffe, medical officer of health with the Sudbury and District Health Unit, said her organization learned late Wednesday of a single case of hepatitis A and moved swiftly on a community response, as the infected individual worked at the Kingsway restaurant.

"It is a cause for a lot of public health follow-up when there is food handling involved," said Sutcliffe. "In this instance, it was somebody at Casey’s Restaurant who was a food handler."

A spokesperson for Casey’s said the employee is on sick leave until she is fully recovered. In the meantime, the restaurant is working closely with the health unit.

"The health and safety of our employees and guests is our top priority," Casey’s public relations officer Cathy Cowan said in a release. "Although the health unit said it wasn’t necessary, Casey’s Sudbury voluntarily closed the restaurant on Jan. 29 and will reopen Jan. 30 after an intense, third-party sanitization of all kitchen equipment and the entire restaurant facility."

Sutcliffe said the employee "worked for just a few days while they actually were infectious," and she doesn’t anticipate a huge outbreak of the disease.

But since the virus can be transmitted via raw or already-cooked foods that have been touched by an infected individual, the unit is treating the health concern very seriously and wants to make sure diners are aware of the vaccination options.

"We do want people who ate at this restaurant between the 15th and 20th to come and get vaccinated to reduce risk of getting infected," said Sutcliffe. "The risk is already very low, I would say, from our assessment of the situation, but they can improve their protection by coming in and getting immunized."

The health unit is also encouraging those who dined at the restaurant earlier in the month to monitor for signs and symptoms, practise thorough hand-washing and visit a doctor if concerned.

"For those who were there earlier, there’s a small risk, but the vaccine really no longer offers protection for them against the disease," explained Sutcliffe. "The vaccine is only good if you take it within 14 days of being possibly exposed to hepatitis A."

In the health unit’s assessment, "the risk probably started around Jan. 1," elaborated Sutcliffe. "But it’s only those people between the 15th and 20th who can really benefit from immunization."

She credited "good teamwork" within the health unit and the broader health system for a prompt response to the threat, as well as full co-operation from Casey’s Bar & Grill "to get to bottom of this and protect people."

Sutcliffe said hepatitis A must be reported to public health officials whenever a case is diagnosed. "It isn’t the individual’s responsibility," she said. "It’s the responsibility of the laboratories and physicians."

After receiving a report of an infection on Wednesday, the health unit contacted the individual and their employer, and put a plan in place.

"I think the system worked well," said Sutcliffe. "While we think the risk is low, people should be aware and know they have the option of getting the vaccine. And we certainly want to do what we can to prevent other cases occurring in our community."

Hepatitis A is rarely fatal and most people develop a lifetime immunity after an infection, but it can be serious for older individuals and can cause liver damage.

Symptoms begin 15 to 50 days after an infection and can range from mild to severe. Common symptoms include fever, stomach pain, dark urine, nausea, fatigue, jaundice and clay-coloured bowel movements, according to the health unit.

The disease can be prevented through proper hygiene, discarding gloves after use, and thoroughly washing fruits and vegetables.

For more information, contact the health unit at 705-522-9200, ext. 1040.

jim.moodie@sunmedia.ca

Vaccination clinics



Immunization clinics for anyone who ate at Casey’s Bar & Grill on The Kingsway between Jan. 15 and Jan. 20 will be held at the following times:

Jan. 30, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Jan. 31, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Feb. 1, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Feb. 2, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The clinics are taking place in the health unit office at 1300 Paris St. No appointment is necessary.

Vaccine is also available through health unit offices in Espanola, Mindemoya and Chapleau, or by contacting your health-care provider.