Pennsylvania Among 11 States Advised Not To Eat Berries After Multistate Hepatitis A Outbreak
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP/CBS) -- Pennsylvania is among 11 states being advised not to eat some berries bought from Fresh Thyme grocery stores after a hepatitis A outbreak in Nebraska, Indiana and Wisconsin has been traced to blackberries sold from that chain. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services said in a news release that the outbreak began several weeks ago in Nebraska.
The department said it, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are investigating and have confirmed 11 cases of the virus, including six in Nebraska.
Fresh Thyme said in a written statement that it's cooperating with the investigation, working to identify its suppliers and isolate the source of the contamination.
"At this time, there is no reason to believe that any of the product was contaminated via handling in our stores," the company said.
The FDA urged consumers in Nebraska, Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Minnesota, Ohio and Pennsylvania to not to eat any fresh blackberries bought from Fresh Thyme between Sept. 9 and Sept. 30.
Anyone who froze the berries for later use should throw them out, the FDA said.
Hepatitis A is a virus that infects the liver and can cause mild, flu-like symptoms for several weeks.
(©Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
