Santa Clara County residents are being urged to throw out any Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend of frozen berries they have at home after a multi-state outbreak of Hepatitis A. The product was sold at Costco stores until it was taken off store shelves.
A 22-year-old woman from Santa Clara County was hospitalized in late May with Hepatitis A after eating the frozen berry blend from Costco, according to Amy Cornell, health information officer with the Santa Clara County Public Health Department.
“She has since been released from the hospital and is recovering well,” Cornell added.
The symptoms of Hepatitis A can take anywhere from two to six weeks to show up after consuming the frozen berry mix. People worried that they may have exposed should look for common symptoms such as fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine, clay-colored bowel movements, joint pain and yellowing of the skin and white parts of the eyes (jaundice).
People who get sick, even with mild symptoms, after eating the berries should contact their health provider, Cornell advised. People who have been vaccinated against Hepatitis A will be protected. The vaccine is also effective if it is administered within two weeks of eating the product. Most children have been vaccinated, explained Cornell, but children under the age of six often do not show any symptoms.
More than 30 people in five states including California have become ill with Hepatitis A since the outbreak began, Cornell said.
