According to CNN, hepatitis A outbreaks from Costco frozen fruit have grown from 34 cases to 87 cases in one week.
So far, the cases have been reported in eight states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Washington.
Here are the facts you need to know:
What is hepatitis A?
Hepatitis A is a highly-contagious virus that is typically transmitted by contaminated food or water, or by someone who’s infected with the virus, according to the Mayo Clinic.
The infection causes liver inflammation. While mild cases don’t require treatment, severe cases can lead to liver failure and death, according to the World Health Organization. Globally, there are an estimated 1.4 million cases of hepatitis A.
Vaccination can prevent illness if given within two weeks of exposure, and those who have already been vaccinated are unlikely to become ill, according to CDC.
Which product is causing this outbreak?
Your Smoothie & Hepatitis A: The Shocking Connection was originally published on blackdoctor.org
