Officials: Multistate hepatitis A cases traced to berries

Nebraska and federal health officials say a hepatitis A outbreak that includes Nebraska, Indiana and Wisconsin has been traced to blackberries sold in Fresh Thyme grocery stores.

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services says in a news release Wednesday that the outbreak began several week ago in Nebraska. The department says it, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are investigating and have confirmed 11 cases. Six of those cases are in Nebraska.

A phone message left Wednesday with Illinois-based Fresh Thyme was not immediately returned.

The FDA is urging consumers in Nebraska, Indiana, Wisconsin and eight other states not to eat any fresh blackberries bought from Fresh Thyme between Sept. 9 and Sept. 30. The other states are Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Minnesota, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Hepatitis A is a virus that infects the liver and can cause mild, flu-like symptoms for several weeks.

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11/20/2019 5:48:46 PM (GMT -5:00)