NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – The city Health Department warned patrons who visited a Manhattan restaurant over about 10 days in late January and early February may have been exposed to the hepatitis A virus.
Health officials said they learned about a case of hepatitis A in a food handler at ilili Restaurant at 236 Fifth Ave. in NoMad. No additional cases of illness have been identified to date, officials said.
Hepatitis A is an extremely contagious liver disease that can be spread by eating food that was touched by a person with the disease.
Patrons who dined at or ordered takeout from the restaurant between Jan. 31 and Feb. 9 should get a hepatitis A vaccination as a precaution if they weren’t previously vaccinated, officials said. Additionally, patrons who ate food from the restaurant between Jan. 17 to Feb. 9 should monitor for symptoms of hepatitis A for seven weeks following the date of their meal.
A spokesman for ilili said in a statement that the restaurant learned Wednesday that a kitchen employee had tested positive for hepatitis A and alerted the health department.
“As soon as we learned the diagnosis, we contacted the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, have been in constant communication with it, and are cooperating with it fully. The Department of Health inspected our kitchen shortly thereafter and did not find any violations or risks to public health," the spokesman said.
“The Department of Health has advised we may remain open, though we continue to closely monitor the situation," the statement continued. "As part of this effort, we deep cleaned the restaurant every four hours Wednesday night, and will bring in additional third-party cleaners to ensure sanitization."
“We urge our customers who dined at ilili between January 31 and February 9 to consult with their doctors and get vaccinated for Hepatitis A. We apologize sincerely for this inconvenience, and will always put the health and well-being of our customers and team first,” the spokesman said.
Dr. Michelle Morse, the city’s acting health commissioner, said if people experience symptoms like yellowing of eyes and skin, fatigue, abdominal pain, nausea, and diarrhea, "they should see a doctor immediately, especially if you have not had two doses of the hepatitis A vaccine."
People should get the vaccine within 14 days of exposure (the date they ate food from the restaurant) for the vaccine to be most effective at protecting against hepatitis A, according to the health department.
For more information on hepatitis A, see the Health Department's website at Hepatitis A - NYC Health. Restaurant patrons who have questions about possible exposure can call 311 for more information.