The United States Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control have issued a warning about a recent Hepatitis outbreak.

According to the US FDA's website, a multistate outbreak of Hepatitis A could be linked to organic strawberries that were sold through several retailers.

As of this post, there have been 17 infections reported, with 12 of those requiring hospitalization.

News Talk 96.5 KPEL logo
Get our free mobile app

According to the website, the FDA is working with the CDC and their Canadian counterparts and local agencies to investigate the outbreak.

strawberry
Lintao Zhang/Getty Images
loading...

The strawberries in question were markets under the brand names "FreshKampo" and "HEB", and were on store shelves between March 5, 2022, and April 25, 2022. The berries were labeled as "organic".

The suspect berries were sold at grocers and retailers nationally, including the following outlets:

  • Aldi
  • HEB
  • Kroger
  • Safeway
  • Sprouts Farmers Market
  • Trader Joe’s
  • Walmart
  • Weis Markets
  • WinCo Foods

The FDA and CDC mention that there may be other outlets from which the suspect strawberries were sold.

Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
loading...

Officials are urging anyone who may have purchased the strawberries marketed under the brands FreshKampo or HEB and later froze those products to NOT eat them.

If you are unsure of what brand you purchased, when you purchased your strawberries, or where you purchased them from prior to freezing them, the strawberries should be thrown away. - FDA

The cases, as of now, have only been confirmed in California, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Canada.

If consumers purchased fresh organic strawberries branded as FreshKampo or HEB between March 5, 2022, and April 25, 2022, ate those berries in the last two weeks, and have not been vaccinated against hepatitis A, they should immediately consult with their healthcare professional to determine whether post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is needed. - FDA

The Food and Drug Administration explains that the PEP is recommended for unvaccinated people who have been exposed to Hepatitis A within the last two weeks. They say that the vaccination can prevent infection if given within 14 days of exposure.

If you have consumed strawberries that were purchased within the timeframe mentioned above, you need to watch for symptoms of Hepatitis A:

  • Fatigue
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Abdominal pain
  • Jaundice
  • Dark urine
  • Pale stool

Symptoms in some people, particularly in children under the age of 6, may be very mild or even non-existent.

If you have eaten suspect strawberries and develop any of the symptoms, contact your physician.

Hurricane Preparation, What Are the Items You Didn't Think Of?

When there is word that a hurricane might threaten the Gulf Coast, we start thinking about what items we need to make life bearable if we end up stuck at home without electricity and internet.
In addition to these creature comforts, we also need to think about the many things that we would need to take with us if we are forced to evacuate.
While we all immediately think of things like prescription medicines and important papers, there are other things that can come in handy whether we will be stuck at home, at a relative's house, or in a shelter.

Lafayette Stores Your Parents Shopped At That Are Gone Now

I have been feeling very nostalgic lately, and when I get that feeling I often will browse the photos in the different collections on the Lafayette Memories Facebook page.

More From News Talk 96.5 KPEL