Potential hepatitis A exposure at restaurant in Calgary’s Kensington neighourhood

Alberta Health Services (AHS) is out with a public alert after a confirmed case of hepatitis A in a food handler at a Calgary restaurant.

The agency says the worker at the Meltwich location in Kensington prepared food while infectious and they are warning that anyone who ate food from the restaurant between Feb. 2 and Feb. 19 may have been exposed.

AHS says post-exposure vaccines are available for those within 14 days of potential exposure. People who ate at the restaurant from Feb. 6 to Feb. 19 are still eligible for the post-exposure shot as of Thursday.

People who ate at the restaurant between Feb. 2 and Feb. 5 are no longer eligible but should monitor for 50 days and contact a doctor if symptoms develop.

Symptom of hepatitis A include:

• tiredness
• poor appetite
• nausea and vomiting
• abdominal pain and fever

Those symptoms are typically followed by dark-coloured urine, light-coloured stools, and yellowing of eyes and skin several days later. Young children may not develop symptoms but can still be contagious, according to AHS.

The illness is most commonly spread through direct contact with an infected person, but it is possible for it to be transmitted through food and drink prepared by someone who infected.

Anyone with concerns are being asked to call Health Link at 1-866-301-2668 for an assessment.