A case of hepatitis A has been confirmed in an individual who helped prepare food at an Airdrie restaurant while infectious.

Alberta Health Services said it occurred at Thang Long Vietnamese Cuisine located at 304 Main Street South in Airdrie.

AHS says people who ate at the restaurant between Monday, May 27 and Thursday, June 13, 2019 may have been exposed to hepatitis A and should call Health Link at 811 immediately for an assessment of exposure and risk.

Immunization clinics are also planned for June 18 and June 19 from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Airdrie's Town and Country Centre, located at 275 Jensen Drive Northeast. Immunization can only be provided within 14 days after an exposure and can prevent illness from occurring. If you need to be immunized but cannot attend a clinic Health Link will help you make other arrangements.

Anyone who believes they may have been exposed are also advised to monitor for symptoms of hepatitis A up to 50 days after they last ate at the restaurant, as illness can occur from 15 to 50 days after exposure.

Symptoms of hepatitis A may include: tiredness; poor appetite; nausea and vomiting; abdominal pain and fever; followed by dark-coloured urine, light-coloured stools, and yellowing of eyes and skin several days later. Some people, especially young children, may get hepatitis A infection without noticing any symptoms; however, they are still infectious to others.

 “While we believe the risk to the public is low, hepatitis A is a serious infection,” says Dr. Jia Hu, Medical Officer of Health, AHS Calgary Zone. “Calling Health Link and monitoring yourself and your family for symptoms are important precautions.”

Hepatitis A is an infection of the liver caused by a virus. It is spread through the fecal-oral route, individuals primarily contract hepatitis A through direct contact with an infected person; however, individuals can also contract the illness indirectly by ingestion of contaminated food or water.

If an infected individual does not properly wash his/her hands after using the washroom, the virus can be transmitted through food and beverages prepared by the infected individual.

There is no ongoing risk of infection associated with this restaurant. It has been cleaned, inspected, and approved as safe to operate by AHS Environmental Public Health.