Updated September 15, 2023, to update the number of illnesses and hospitalizations. A hepatitis A outbreak linked to frozen strawberries has ended. The strawberries were sold at:
- Costco
- Walmart
- HEB
- Trader Joe’s
- ALDI
- PCC Community Markets
- Stores supplied by KeHE and Vital Choice Seafood
Ten people have been sickened, and four have been hospitalized. Six cases have been reported from Washington, two patients are from California, one is from Oregon and another is from Hawaii. All patients reported eating frozen, organic berries before they became ill. The Illnesses started on dates ranging from November 24, 2022, to May 27, 2023.
The hepatitis strain is the same one that caused an outbreak linked to fresh strawberries last year.
Frozen berries are a common source of hepatitis A outbreaks. Since 2013, this is the fifth time frozen berries have been identified as the source of a hepatitis outbreak.
Did you get sick from contaminated berries?
Hepatitis A Recalls for Frozen Berries
Three recalls have been issued in connection with this outbreak:
Hepatitis Recall for Berries Sold at Walmart, Costco HEB
The recalled berries, grown on farms in Baja California, Mexico, were sold under the brand names:
- Kirkland Signature
- Simply Nature
- Vital Choice
- PCC Community Markets
- Trader Joe’s
- Wawona
- Rader Farms
- Great Value
Consumers who purchase frozen berries should check recall information carefully.
Symptoms of Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A causes inflammation of the liver. The highly contagious virus is transmitted via the fecal-oral route, meaning stool from an infected person contaminates food that is ingested by others. This happens when infected food handlers don’t properly wash their hands after using the restroom.
Symptoms of a hepatitis A infection include yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, clay-colored or light-colored stools, decreased appetite, nausea, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, fever, fatigue, and joint pain. They usually develop two to seven weeks after exposure. Some cases may be asymptomatic, this is often the case for children under six.
Experienced Hepatitis A Lawyers
If you have been sickened and would like a free consultation about filing a lawsuit, please contact our experienced hepatitis A lawyers. You can reach them by calling 1-888-377-8900, sending a text to 612-261-0856, or by completing the form below. There is no obligation and we don’t get paid unless we win.
This post was updated on May 8 with an updated case count.
This post was updated June 9 with an additional recall.
This post was updated June 14 with an additional recall.