Another hepatitis A case has been diagnosed in Clermont County: An employee at an IHOP has been diagnosed with the virus, the public health department there announced Wednesday.
This case was discovered at the IHOP at 5699 Romar Drive in Milford.
“The restaurant management has been very cooperative, and we are working with them to review safe food handling techniques,” Clermont County Assistant Health Commissioner Tim Kelly said in a release.
The risk to patrons is extremely low, he said. However, as a precaution, anyone who has eaten at the Milford IHOP from Dec. 25 through Dec. 31 should monitor for symptoms of the virus for up to 50 days. Symptoms of hepatitis A include:
- Fatigue
- Low appetite
- Stomach pain
- Nausea
- Clay-colored stools
- Jaundice (yellowish color to the skin and eyes)
“Though it is possible to spread hepatitis A through contaminated food, the risk is extremely low,” Kelly said in the release. “The majority of cases we are seeing during this outbreak are from other risk factors.”
The Ohio Department of Health declared a statewide outbreak of hepatitis A in June. So far, there have been 1,370 cases statewide and 42 cases in Clermont County that are linked to this outbreak.
A vaccine can protect you from getting sick if received within two weeks of contact with the virus, he said. Patrons should contact their health care provider if they have questions or concerns, Kelly said.