The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
An employee of the Somerville ShopRite has been diagnosed with Hepatitis A, leading state health officials to issue warnings and advisories to customers who shopped in that store last month.
The unidentified person worked as a food handler in the store’s deli, according to a press release from Somerset County. The person worked there during their “infectious period,” Oct. 13-30, according to the release.
The state Department of Health is advising anyone who bought items from the Somerville ShopRite deli between Oct. 13 and 30 to throw them away.
The department is also recommending that those people who shopped in the deli or who used the store’s rest rooms during the target dates, and who have never received the Hepatitis A vaccine, get vaccinated.
“To be effective, the hepatitis A vaccine should be received as soon as possible, but no later than two weeks after eating food from this deli,” the release said. “For most people, this date would be Nov. 13, 2019.”
“If you think you may have eaten items purchased at the in-store deli (Appy) or used the restrooms at the ShopRite of Somerville and have no access to a health care provider or insurance, you may call Zufall Health at 908-526-2335 to get more information about getting care,” according to the release. “Zufall Health is located at 71 Fourth St., Somerville, NJ 08876. Their hours are Monday (7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.), Tuesday (7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.), Wednesday (7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.), Thursday (7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.), Friday (7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.), Saturday (8 a.m. to 2 p.m.). Be sure to mention the ShopRite hepatitis A event when you call. There may be a cost associated with your visit.”
Symptoms of Hepatitus A infection include fatigue, low appetite, stomach pain, nausea, and jaundice, which usually resolve within two months of infection; most children less than 6 years of age do not have symptoms or have an unrecognized infection, according to the release. Antibodies produced in response to hepatitis A infection last for life and protect against reinfection, the release said.
