Hepatitis A confirmed at Burlington restaurant

Hepatitis A vaccine at Public Health Sudbury and Districts December 24, 2019. (Ian Campbell/CTV Northern Ontario)

A food handler at a Burlington restaurant has been confirmed to have Hepatitis A and may have exposed customers to the virus, public health officials say.

The handler worked at the Burlington Charcoal Pit between Oct. 23 and Nov. 1, and Halton health authorities are advising anyone who visited the restaurant during that period to monitor for symptoms.

The restaurant is compliant with public health standards, according to a press release from Halton Region Public Health .

“The likelihood of transmission is considered low. However, as a precaution, anyone who may have been exposed should watch for symptoms for up to 50 days,” Associate Medical Officer of Health for Halton Region Dr. Patrick Galange said.

Hepatitis A is spread by “putting something in the mouth that has been contaminated by a person that has the disease,” health officials say. An infected person can spread the disease for two weeks or more before knowing they’re infected.

Fever, dark urine, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, stomach cramps, and jaundice are all symptoms of Hepatitis A, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada. Symptoms generally appear two to four weeks after exposure but may show up 50 days later. Symptoms can last for one week to nine months.