A historic Cape COD restaurant is struck by an outbreak of the highly contagious hepatitis A virus, warn health officials.
State health authorities warned this week that everyone at the Red Inn in Wealthy Provincetown, Massachusetts, may have been exposed to the liver infection that is spread by polluted food and water.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health said that everyone who eaten in the restaurant between 30 April and 15 May should immediately seek medical help.
An employee of the food service who worked during that period tested positively for the disease.
The department said that customers who think they have been exposed in the past two weeks and that they have no symptoms, may be treated with antibodies and a vaccine, which is 94 percent effective for several years.
The Red Inn is currently ‘open and safe for dining’ and the restaurant is ‘fully collaborating’ with health authorities, said officials of the province in a statement.
No extra diseases have been reported and it is unclear how many customers were exposed during that time frame.
The infected employee is ‘good recovery’ and ‘remains outside of work’ for the time being.
Customers at the Red Inn (shown here) in Provincetown, Massachusetts, may have been exposed to highly infectious hepatitis A
Provincetown, Massachusetts (depicted here), is a tourist destination along Cape Cod, where the average visitor earns more than $ 200,000 a year
Lezli Rowell, director of the Provincetown Health Department, said: ‘From my experience in inspecting the Red Inn over the years, this is no problem with facilities.
‘The staff is expert, trained in food safety and committed to the best management practices, and the back of the house is first -class.
“This is just an unfortunate disease that happened to a person who is reportedly recovers well and remains without work until medically free to resume employment.”
The Red Inn is a 200-year restaurant and hotel that serves tourists to the rich Cape COD destination, many of whom earn $ 200,000 a year, more than twice the national average, according to research agency Placer.ai.
The CDC estimates that 180,000 Americans are struck every year by hepatitis A, many of whom have no symptoms, including fever, nausea, abdominal pain, jaundice, dark urine and beehives.
The disease spreads when infected stool comes in the mouth of a person, often by eating or drinking contaminated food or water.
It can also spread by kissing, hugging, sharing utensils or having sex with an infected person.
As soon as the virus enters the body, it infects liver cells and causes inflammation. Most cases disappear without permanent damage, but it can take up to six months before the symptoms disappear completely.
There is no other treatment for the condition other than antibody therapy and vaccines within two weeks of exposure.
Dr. Paul Sax, clinical director of infectious diseases in Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, said Local news: ‘It is not the type of disease such as a typical food poisoning where you are sick for one or two days, then you will be normal again within a week.
“Usually people with hepatitis A are, at least the people who are diagnosed, two to three weeks out, sometimes longer.”
In extremely rare cases – one in 5 million people – the infection can be fatal due to serious liver failure.
Massachusetts health officials insisted on people who may have been exposed to be vaccinated within two weeks, because the first dose is only effective for that period. A second dose six months later offers protection for several years and is 94 percent effective.
Dr. Sax said: “It makes sense for people to be vaccinated for hepatitis A. Our Hepatitis A vaccine is one of the safest and most effective vaccines we have.”
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