Outbreak of Rare Strain of Hepatitis A Spreads to Hawaii

By Dan Flynn |

Another Western state was touched by the outbreak of a rare strain of hepatitis A, adding two more individuals to the list of those sickened nationwide.  Hawaii is the sixth state to be added to the growing outbreak.

State health officials in Hawaii say two adults, one from the island of Oahu and the other from Kauai, are among those sickened with the liver disease.  Like at least another 30 victims on the mainland, the Hawaii residents are believed to have consumed a frozen organic berry mix purchased at local Costco outlets.

The national warehouse outlet based in Seattle has removed the product from its shelves, and contacted it members who purchased the mixed berry product.  But the weekend passed without any official recall by manufacturer of the suspect product, Townsend Farms, based in Oregon.

Townsend Farms Organic Anti-Oxidant Blend contains berries from multiple locations (Argentina, Chile and Turkey) and a pomegranate seed mix from Egypt, according to health officials.

Read more at Food Safety News

SEE ALSO: Case Count Rises to 49 in Hepatitis A Outbreak Linked to Frozen Berries