Marin Health Chief Ups Outreach in Wake of Hepatitis A Link to Costco Frozen Berries

Marin County's public health officer has issued a warning to anyone who bought potentially contaminated frozen berries at Costco in Novato over the past four months, urging them to throw away the berries and get a Hepatitis A vaccine if necessary.

The move by Dr. Matt Willis comes on the heels of the California Department of Public Health's revelation that Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend of frozen berries sold through Costco stores may be linked to a multistate outbreak of hepatitis A infections.

To date, 34 Hepatitis A cases are being investigated as possibly linked with consumption of the frozen berry product sold through Costco stores in California, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona. Costco has pulled the product from its shelves and the producer of a frozen berries mixture has voluntarily recalled it from the wholesaler and the Harris Teeter supermarket chain.

Willis said that the county has been working with officials at Costco in the Vintage Oaks shopping center and they've determined that approximately 3,000 bags of the potentially contaminated berries were sold from the Novato location during the period of potential contamination between mid-February and the end of May. Costco has identified its Novato members who purchased the berries and is contacting them via automated telephone message and letters, Willis said.

There have been no reported local cases of acute hepatitis A tied to consumption of frozen berries.

“The risk of contracting acute hepatitis A, even if you’ve ingested this product, is really low, so that is reassuring,” Willis said. 

Nevertheless, Willis issued the following advice to consumers: 

1. Do not eat ‘Townsend Farms Organic Anti-Oxidant Blend’ and discard any remaining product from freezers. Even if some of the product has been eaten without anyone in your home becoming ill, the rest of the product should be discarded.
   
2. Hepatitis A vaccination can prevent illness if given within two weeks of exposure to the contaminated product. If you have already received the hepatitis A vaccination in the past, you are unlikely to become ill with the disease. If you consumed this product in the past two weeks and have never been vaccinated, contact your health care provider to find out if you should be vaccinated. If you don’t have a health care provider (usually your doctor), contact the Marin County Immunization Clinic at 415-473-4400.
   
3. Contact a health care provider right away if you develop any of these symptoms:

• Yellow eyes or skin
• Abdominal pain
• Pale stools
• Dark urine

1. You can prevent cross-contamination in food preparation areas by thoroughly washing your hands with soap and water. Disinfect countertops, cutting boards and cooking utensils after use.
   
2. Wash your hands thoroughly right after using the bathroom, changing diapers, and before preparing, serving or eating food.