Alberta Health Services has issued an alert after a person who was working at an Edmonton Tim Horton’s restaurant was confirmed to have hepatitis A.
The individual prepared food at the Milbourne Market Mall location at 7535 38 Avenue while infectious.
Anyone who consumed food or drink from the restaurant from Feb. 20 to March 5 may have been exposed.
AHS says anyone who ate at the restaurant from March 1 to 5 may be eligible for post-exposure immunization, and is urged to call Health Link at 1-866-301-2668 for assessment.
Vaccine clinics will be scheduled in Edmonton for eligible individuals.
There is a limited window for an exposed person to be vaccinated. The last day for people to receive immunizations is as follows:
- 1 Mar 2025 15 Mar 2025
- 2 Mar 2025 16 Mar 2025
- 4 Mar 2025 18 Mar 2025
- 5 Mar 2025 19 Mar 2025
Anyone who ate at the restaurant between Feb. 20 and Feb. 28 is no longer eligible for post-exposure immunization.
They should watch for symptoms for 50 days and contact their doctor if symptoms develop.
Symptoms include tiredness, poor appetite, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain and fever followed by dark-coloured urine, light coloured stools and yellowing of eyes and skin several days later.
Some people, especially young children, may get hepatitis A without noticing any symptoms, but they are still infectious to others.
Hepatitis A is an infection of the liver caused by a virus and is generally contracted through contact with an infected person, but it can also be contracted through ingesting contaminated food.
If an infected individual does not wash their hands properly after using the bathroom the virus can be transmitted through food and drink prepared by the infected individual.
