Massachusetts Health Officials Warn of Potential Exposure to Hepatitis A after Infection in a Food Service Worker in Provincetown

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH), Barnstable County Department of Health and Environment, and the Provincetown Board of Health are alerting anyone who dined at The Red Inn at 15 Commercial Street in Provincetown between April 30 and May 15 that they may have been exposed to hepatitis A. A food service employee of the restaurant who worked during those dates has a confirmed infection with hepatitis A virus.

Customers who could have been exposed to the virus are being advised to contact their healthcare provider and receive appropriate medical treatment for a possible exposure to hepatitis A. Learn more in DPH’s press release.

The early signs and symptoms of hepatitis A are fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and jaundice (dark urine, yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes). The illness varies in severity, with mild cases lasting two weeks or less and more severe cases lasting four to six weeks or longer. Symptoms of hepatitis A, when they occur, usually appear about three to four weeks after being exposed to the virus. People with illness suggestive of hepatitis should consult a healthcare provider even if symptoms are mild. You can learn more about hepatitis A on DPH’s website.

Customers who may have been exposed to hepatitis A are also urged to be particularly thorough in handwashing after toileting and prior to food preparation to prevent any potential further spread of the disease. 

View DPH’s press release for more information on this potential exposure to hepatitis A.