Hepatitis A diagnosed in taco shop employee

Columbus Public Health has identified and continues to investigate a confirmed case of hepatitis A involving a restaurant employee, the city announced Friday in a news release.

The employee worked at Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, a Mexican food chain at 479 N. High St., just south of the Short North, and was in direct contact with food, the city said. As a result, anyone who was at that restaurant between Jan. 1 and Jan. 16 is advised to obtain a hepatitis A vaccine.

Vaccinations will be provided free to the public from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday at Columbus Public Health, 240 Parsons Ave. Local pharmacies and health-care providers also can give the vaccine. The release noted that all employees of Fuzzy’s Taco Shop were vaccinated by Columbus Public Health and no one is currently ill.

Hepatitis A is a highly contagious virus that infects the liver. It can be spread through close contact with a person who is sick with hepatitis A; eating food prepared by a person with hepatitis A; or having sex with a person with hepatitis A. Though less dangerous than other forms of hepatitis, it can cause jaundice, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and fatigue.

People who have hepatitis A can be without symptoms for up to 28 days and during that time, they can spread the infection to others.

An information line has been set up for questions on the hepatitis A vaccine by calling 614-645-1474, option 3.

The Ohio Department of Health declared a statewide community outbreak of hepatitis last year after observing an increase in cases linked to certain risk factors. Similar outbreaks have occurred in the neighboring states of Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and West Virginia.