Two more restaurants--one in Bear, the other in Newark--have been identified as locations where patrons may have potentially been exposed to Hepatitis A, Delaware public health officials announced Friday.
According to the Division of Public Health, visitors to a second Buffalo Wild Wings location, at 1887 Pulaski Highway in Bear, and the Stone Balloon Ale House, at 115 East Main Street in Newark, may have been exposed to Hepatitis A.
On Thursday, officials detailed the possibility visitors to the Buffalo Wild Wings location at 540 West Main Street in Middletown could have been exposed to the virus, but on Friday, updated the timeline for when this may have occurred. Officials said anyone patronizing the restaurant beginning on March 28, 2019, through April 10 may have been exposed, earlier than initially believed.
For the two new locations identified as hazards, officials said exposure may have occurred March 20 through April 3 at the Newark Stone Balloon Ale House location--ending with a cleaning of the facility on that date--and March 21 through April 12 for the Bear Buffalo Wild Wings location--again, ending with a cleaning of the facility on that date.
“We understand that this information may be concerning to individuals who dined or worked at any of the restaurants during this timeframe,” said Medical Director Dr. Rick Hong in the announcement. “However, we want to stress that the risk of transmission of the virus to those who dined at these restaurant locations is low. Because DPH’s mission is to protect and promote the health of all people in Delaware, we are recommending those who visited these restaurants during the exposure timeframe, contact their health care provider to discuss their individual risk factors.”
Anyone who consumed food or drink at the restaurant during that time is urged to consider reaching out to their health care provider for further guidance. Staff of the establishment--which voluntarily closed on April 10 for cleaning and sanitation before reopening April 11--is urged to contact their health care provider for post-exposure prophylaxis, which could include a vaccine or shot of immune globulin to prevent serious illness.
The uninsured or underinsured are urged to visit at DPH health clinic at:
- Porter State Service Center, 509 W. 8th St., Wilmington, DE 19801 302-777-2860
- Hudson State Service Center, 501 Ogletown Road, Newark, DE 19711 302-283-7587, option 2
- Kent County Health Unit, River Road, Dover, DE 19901, 302-857-5140
- Sussex County Health Unit, 544. S. Bedford St., Georgetown, DE 19947, 302-515-3220
Symptoms can appear 15 to 30 days after exposure, and include things like:
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea
- Tiredness
- Fever
- Stomach pain
- Brown-colored urine and light-colored stools
- Yellowing of the skin of eyes
