PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The restaurant at the center of a hepatitis A outbreak investigation in Montgomery County is re-opening after county health officials said there is no longer a risk.
The announcement comes days after a third death was linked to the outbreak, but health officials said the exposure happened in late November and no longer presents a risk to the public.
The Montgomery County Office of Public Health Division of Environmental Field Services conducted a reopening inspection of Gino's Ristorante & Pizzeria in West Norriton on Thursday, and lifted the closure.
County officials said the restaurant disposed of all potential food sources prior to re-opening, and emphasized hand-washing and glove or utensil use when handling ready-to-eat food.
All employees working during the exposure completed voluntary testing and were offered the hepatitis A vaccine.
Officials added that there will be additional food handling inspections.
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The county said there are 10 confirmed and three probable cases. Seven people were hospitalized.
According to the CDC, hepatitis A can be spread by close contact with someone who is infected, but more often it’s spread when someone drinks or eats something contaminated by fecal matter from someone who is infected.
Symptoms can take two to seven weeks to develop and include jaundice, stomach pain, fatigue and nausea.
The CDC says most people recover from hepatitis A on their own, but in rare cases, it can cause liver failure and death.
