Positive hepatitis A case confirmed from Olive Garden employee in Deptford: officials
DEPTFORD, N.J. (CBS) -- The Gloucester County Department of Health confirmed a case of hepatitis A in a food handler at an Olive Garden in Deptford Thursday afternoon.
Officials said the positive case from the food handler was around Dec. 26 through Dec. 30 at the Olive Garden at 1500 Almonesson Road.
The health department is working to give vaccinations to coworkers who could've been exposed and are unvaccinated, according to the release.
"Hepatitis A is a viral illness. Symptoms include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, tiredness, poor appetite, jaundice and dark urine," officials said. "Symptoms usually appear two to seven weeks after exposure. If you previously received the Hepatitis A vaccine, you are not at risk; please check with your healthcare provider if unsure of your vaccine status. For unvaccinated individuals, while the risk is low, it is not absent. The risk may be further lowered by receiving the Hepatitis A vaccine within two weeks of exposure."
There was a full retail food establishment inspection of the facility on March 17, 2023, with a satisfactory rating, GCDOH said. On Jan. 10, there was a reinspection with another satisfactory rating.
Olive Garden released a statement to CBS Philadelphia Thursday afternoon:
"The health and safety of our guests and team members is our number one priority. The ill team member last worked 10 days before they were diagnosed and will not be permitted to return to work until being officially released by a doctor. While Hepatitis A is not easily transmitted from one person to another, we've been working closely with the health department to ensure we have all of the right processes in place to protect our team members and our guests. We are not aware of any other team members or guests becoming ill. We place the highest priority on having the cleanest and safest restaurants in the restaurant industry. Across the country, many local health departments point to our standards as a model for other companies to follow."
Gloucester County Department of Health is working closely with the New Jersey Department of Health and the restaurant facility to protect the public and prevent further spread of disease. If residents have questions or concerns, please call 856-218-4151.
Residents can also visit the Gloucester County Department of Health website.