Ottawa Public Health investigates hepatitis A at Tim Hortons

Article content

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) is investigating a confirmed case of hepatitis A at a Tim Hortons in Ottawa South.

In a public service announcement issued on Dec. 17, health officials said there is a possible exposure of the virus at 372 Hunt Club Rd. OPH says the risk to customers is “very low.” The confirmed case was a Tim Hortons employee.

“Risk to patrons is considered to be very low because of the food service establishment’s proper attention to hygiene and safe food preparation,” the announcement read.

Article content

However, they recommend anyone who dined at this location to monitor for symptoms for 50 days. The illness lasts from several weeks up to a couple of months. Once recovered from the illness, individuals are considered immune to the infection.

Children are less likely to have symptoms than adults. Symptoms include fever, loss of appetite, nausea, abdominal pain, jaundice and feeling generally unwell.

Hepatitis A is a liver infection caused by the hepatitis A virus and is common in places with “inadequate sanitation systems.” It spreads from person to person through the fecal-oral route, which means an infected individual’s feces enters the mouth of another person.

Health officials say this can happen when an infected individual handles food after using the washroom without washing their hands.

“The most effective ways to prevent contracting hepatitis A is to be vaccinated against it (especially before travel) and to practice good hand washing, particularly after using the bathroom and before preparing food or eating, and to seek safe food and drink when travelling,” OPH said.

Article content

In a statement, Tim Hortons media relations wrote: “Guests’ health and safety is our top priority. While Ottawa Public Health says the risk to the public is “very low,” the restaurant owner continues to work closely with officials and is following all their guidance. The investigation suggests that the illness was contracted outside the restaurant, most likely while the individual was on vacation outside the country.”

Our website is your destination for up-to-the-minute news, so make sure to bookmark our homepage and sign up for our newsletters so we can keep you informed.

Share this article in your social network