EDMONTON — Alberta Health Services is advising people who ate at two fast-food restaurants in and near Edmonton that they may have been exposed to hepatitis A.
Health officials have issued an alert following confirmation of the illness in a worker at two Edo Japan outlets.
The alert covers the periods of June 13-18 and June 21-28 at the Manning Town Centre location in Edmonton and the Tudor Glen South restaurant in St. Albert.
Officials say the risk of infection from the virus is low, but the liver illness can be spread very easily.
AHS is asking anyone who has symptoms to contact Health Link at 811 immediately.
Symptoms include tiredness, poor appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, fever, dark-coloured urine, light-coloured stools and yellowing of the eyes and skin.
Hepatitis A is primarily spread through direct contact with an infected person, but it can also be spread indirectly by consuming contaminated food or water.
“We believe this risk to be relatively low. The practices at the restaurant were excellent so that should go a long way to prevent transmission,” Dr. Joanna Oda with AHS said Tuesday.
“However, hepatitis A is easily spread, so that’s why we’re recommending people monitor themselves for symptoms.”