Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - A case of hepatitis A has been confirmed in a local restaurant employee, according to Erie County officials.
The Erie County Department Of Health was notified on Monday that a food handler who works at Ang’s Family Restaurant on Clinton Street in Buffalo was diagnosed with the hepatitis A virus.
ECDOH is advising anyone who consumed food or drinks from Ang’s Family Restaurant, also known as Ang’s Lunch Wagon at 1501 Clinton Street, Buffalo, NY 14206, between Tuesday, September 24, 2019 and Friday, September 27, 2019 to receive hepatitis A vaccine at a clinic to be held at Ang’s Family Restaurant on Wednesday, October 9, 2019 from 7:30 a.m. – 10 a.m.
The vaccine will prevent potentially exposed individuals from developing a hepatitis A infection for individuals who consumed foods or drinks from Ang’s Family Restaurant during that four-day period.
ECDOH is further advising anyone who consumed food or drinks from this restaurant between Thursday, September 12 and Monday, September 23 to monitor their health for symptoms of hepatitis A. The post-exposure vaccine would not be effective for those patrons at this point.
Anyone who develops symptoms suggestive of hepatitis A virus should seek medical evaluation from a health care professional.
Ang’s Family Restaurant management has been notified of potential hepatitis A exposure, and is cooperating with ECDOH staff to provide vaccine to unvaccinated employees. ECDOH Environmental Health sanitarians are inspecting the restaurant on October 8 and will conduct additional inspections over the coming weeks.
“This is the third case of hepatitis A in a restaurant worker that our department has handled this year,” said Erie County Commissioner of Health Dr. Gale Burstein. “We coordinated this vaccination clinic with the cooperation of the restaurant owner and hope that their patrons are able to receive this safe and effective vaccine at our clinic on Wednesday morning.”
“As of today, we have confirmed 32 hepatitis A cases in Erie County, which matches what we saw in 2018. In the three years before that, we saw between two and four new cases each year,” she continued. “This is a contagious disease and we strongly encourage all Erie County residents, including people who work in food service or restaurants, to complete the hepatitis A vaccine series. Primary care providers, occupational health care clinics and travel immunization clinics are able to provide this vaccine.”