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Five people have been hospitalized and 185 cases of hepatitis A have been reported from an outbreak in Beaver County this week.


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The new hepatitis A cases announced include four employees of Chi-Chi's at Beaver Valley Mall, 21 cases in Ohio, four in West Virginia, one in Florida and one in South Carolina. All the out-of-state cases are believed to be customers of the restaurant.

Anyone who visited the Chi-Chi's at Beaver Valley Mall between Oct. 22 and Nov. 2 is encouraged to get a medical evaluation, and possibly a shot for hepatitis A. Those services are available for free at state Department of Health clinics at the Community College dome in Monaca, Beaver County, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday.

By noon on Friday, 498 people had visited the clinic. More than 2,800 people visited the clinic on Thursday, bringing the total number of people who have been seen to 5,718.

The virus has not been reported at other Chi-Chi's locations in western Pennsylvania. The Beaver Valley store is closed as a precautionary measure until health officials are sure there is no risk.


"Chi-Chi's management is in full cooperation with state, local and governmental agencies," said Steve Sprowl, a Chi-Chi's divisional vice president. "We are assisting in the investigation of the situation."

Hepatitis A is the least severe form of the virus, according to Channel 4 Action News medical editor Marilyn Brooks. Recovery takes about two weeks, with no long-term effects.

Hepatitis A can be transmitted via fecal matter -- for example, if someone eats food that is handled by people who didn't wash their hands after using the bathroom.

It's not known how any of the Chi-Chi's customers got sick, but spokeswoman Jessica Seiders said investigators suspect the problem may have come from a food handler.

Symptoms associated with Hepatitis A may include:

Yellow eyes
Dark urine
Nausea
Fever
Tiredness
Loss of appetite
Stomach ache
Vomiting

Health department officials say they expect to see more cases before the outbreak runs its course.