Hepatitis A strikes again in Aiken County
Customers who ate at a North Augusta restaurant recently may have been exposed to hepatitis A, according to the Department of Health and Environmental Control.
An employee of Teriyaki Japan on Edgefield Road tested positive for the virus, and people who ate at the restaurant between May 14 and May 28 may want to seek preventative treatment.
The department recommends that those who visited the restaurant within the past two weeks receive a post-exposure vaccination. Customers who ate there May 15 or earlier may not benefit from post-exposure treatment, but the vaccination will still provide protection from future exposures.
Symptoms of hepatitis A include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain or yellowing of the eyes and skin, according to the department. The virus typically starts showing symptoms two to six weeks after initial exposure but should not cause lasting liver damage. Anyone who experiences symptoms of the disease should see a medical professional.
People can visit the Aiken County Health Department on Beaufort Street in Aiken from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday and Friday, or can be vaccinated at a pharmacy depending on insurance coverage, the release states.
On May 13, DHEC declared a statewide outbreak of the virus due to an above-average number of cases. Between Nov. 1, 2018 and May 24, 106 hepatitis A cases have been reported. Typically, the states sees about 19 cases annually, the agency reports
Aiken County has had 30 cases in the same time period, more than any other county.
An outbreak was declared in the county after two employees at separate restaurants tested positive for hepatitis A. The department warned of possible exposure to those who ate at Aiken Brewing Company between Jan. 11-26 and City Billiards from Jan. 22 to Feb. 5.
According to DHEC, the risk of the virus spreading from a food handler to customers is low. A news release states Teriyaki Japan received an A rating following the most recent inspection from the department in November last year.