You May Have Been Exposed To Hep A If You Recently Went To This Edmonton Restaraunt

Hope you have all your vaccinations. According to local health officials, an Edmonton restaurant was exposed to hepatitis A after a food handler who was infected with the virus was working at the restaurant. There are 12 days in particular that the infected person was working. Now, officials are warning the public to get checked if you visited the restaurant as there is a chance of exposure.

According to a public press release by Alberta Health Services (AHS), a case of hepatitis A has been confirmed at a restaurant in Edmonton. 

Hepatitis A is often spread by a person not properly washing their hands which makes everything about this situation even grosser.

The document states that the impacted restaurant is London Local located at 2307 Ellwood Drive SW in Edmonton. AHS has confirmed that the person who was infected was handling and preparing food at the time. 

If you have consumed food at the restaurant, listen up. There are a number of important dates that the infected individual was working in the kitchen. If you visited and ate at London Local at that time, you may want to visit a doctor and monitor your health closely.

Although the risk to the public is low, it's better to be safe than sorry. 

According to AHS, the unnamed individual worked from Friday, Aug. 13 Sunday, 18 and Thursday, Aug. 20 to Saturday, Aug. 24 and on Tuesday, Aug. 27. Anyone who has eaten at the restaurant in that time frame may have been exposed to hepatitis A. 

AHS is now urging the public to call Health Link at 811 immediately for assessment of exposure and risk. Anyone who calls Health Link will be advised of eligibility for immunization.

Immunizations can only be provided within 14 days after exposure to prevent illness from occurring. 

If you believe you may have been exposed, the best thing to do is monitor the symptoms of hepatitis A for up to 50 days after eating at London Local. Illness can occur within 15 to 50 days after exposure. 

Symptoms of hepatitis A can include tiredness, poor appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, fever, dark-coloured urine, light-coloured stool, and yellow eyes and skin several days later. 

Young people may have the infection without even knowing it as symptoms can go unnoticed. Just because the infection isn’t making itself known, doesn’t mean the person isn’t contagious. 

Dr. Chris Sikora, Medical Officer of Health, AHS Edmonton Zone, has called the risk to public low, however, is still encouraging people who may have been exposed to call Health Link just to be safe. 

According to AHS, hepatitis A is spread through the “fecal-oral route.” This virus that infects the liver can contaminate a person when an infected individual does not properly wash their hands. 

At this time, AHS has stated that there is no ongoing risk of infection associated with this restaurant. It has since been cleaned, inspected, and approved as safe to operate. 

London Local has been recognized serval times for their culinary expertise including being named as one of the best new restaurants in 2019. 

Earlier this year in B.C., two Richmond hotels were infected with the norovirus. Over 80 people were sick that included staff members and hotel guests. 

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