Chi Chi's Restaurant Hepatitis Epidemic in Pennsylvania

[jsalba]

Not sure if you guys have heard about this, but in Beaver County, Pennsylvania (near Pittsburgh), an employee of a ChiChi's restaurant had Hepatitis A.. now over 130 people have contracted it who had eaten at the restaurant in late October-early November.

Very chilling.

Thus far, several thousand people have arrived at a clinic to receive a Hep shot at a cost to the government of $10 per person.

I think Chi Chi's should pay for it!! Not the taxpayers.

[Shainie]

How do you pass hepatitis? I thought it was through body fluid exchange?

[monkee]

Originally Posted by jsalba

Not sure if you guys have heard about this, but in Beaver County, Pennsylvania (near Pittsburgh), an employee of a ChiChi's restaurant had Hepatitis A.. now over 130 people have contracted it who had eaten at the restaurant in late October-early November.

Very chilling.

Thus far, several thousand people have arrived at a clinic to receive a Hep shot at a cost to the government of $10 per person.

I think Chi Chi's should pay for it!! Not the taxpayers.

That's really nice. My husband and I were on a road trip last weekend down there. Glad we didn't eat at Chi Chi's.

I agree that they should be paying for this, not the taxpayers!

[jsalba]

Well, they are saying it looks as though a cook used the "facilities" and didn't wash his hands.. and then returned to his cooking responsibilities.

It's all over the Pittsburgh news channels.

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[verwon]

YUCK!! Disgusting and further explitives I will refrain from using here!!!!

I saw it on the news and read about because I live about two hours from there now.

[tlspiegel]

That's awful. Oh those poor people.

[sblme28]

OMG! How incredibly terrible! GROSS!

[3tbear]

I hate that when people use the bathroom and just walk out the door, don't bother to wash their hands. It's just disgusting, especially someone in food service, and for those poor innocent diners to catch that, that's just deplorable.

[luvmetender]

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


HEP OUTBREAK
Chi-Chi's Statement
Rumor Control
Lawsuit Filed
Watch Bob Mayo's Report



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.

[beffie]

I was just watching the 11 O'clock Channel 21 WFMJ News (Youngstown, OH)... They said that there are over 400 Hepatitis A cases related to this now... 3 deaths... 2 cases are reported in Mahoning county (OH) and 12 in Columbiana county (OH)...

Makes me glad I've never been to a Chi-Chi's... They are saying that it could be related to the green onions they were using, that Chi-Chi's has pulled green onions from there kitchens...

[GR8GIRLS]

Number of people affected is nearly 500 now.
We need some prayers here folks!