2,000 Customers of 7-11 Potentially Exposed to Hep-A

Last week, nearly 2,000 people in Salt Lake City, Utah, were exposed to hepatitis A after a sick employee of a 7-11 store handled food while ill.

According to CNN, “people who visited the location in West Jordan between December 26 and January 3 could be at risk if they used a restroom in the store or consumed certain food items.” People who consumed pre-packaged food are not in danger of contracting the illness. Those who came in contact with food or beverages that might have been contaminated by the infected employee should contact the county health department to learn about getting a hepatitis A injection, which could help in the event of infection.

According to the World Health Organization, “Hepatitis A is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis A virus. The virus is primarily spread when an uninfected (and unvaccinated) person ingests food or water that is contaminated with the faeces of an infected person.” It is rarely fatal, and does not cause chronic liver disease. But those who are infected can experience nausea, vomiting, and fever.

So far, at least 256 people have been referred by the county health department to get the injection, and the employees of the 7-11 in question have also received the injection. Authorities determined that that 2,000 people were exposed by examining the sales volume of the store where the incident occurred.