The New York health officials are urging patrons of the New Hawaii Sea Restaurant to immediately have themselves vaccinated against hepatitis A after finding that one of its employee is infected.
The Chinese-Japanese restaurant, famous for its “sushi pizza,” located in Morris Park was recently closed by the New York City Health Department to complete the investigation of the hepatitis A scare.
Those who dined in or had home delivery between Sept. 17 and 19 are advised to get a hepatitis A vaccine the soonest possible time. Those who still have leftovers in their fridge should throw it away as it may be contaminated with the virus.
“We are asking all restaurant patrons and employees to get this vaccination as soon as possible,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley to CBS New York. “If people experience symptoms, they should see a doctor immediately. This incident serves as an important reminder to always wash your hands thoroughly before handling food to prevent the spread of disease.”
The health department is sponsoring the vaccine in some clinics so it is best for patrons to submit themselves for immediate evaluation. The hepatitis A vaccine will only be effective if acquired within 14 days of exposure. Common symptoms are fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, joint pain, and yellowing of the skin and eyes.
Meanwhile, employees of the New Hawaii Sea Restaurant are required to be vaccinated. The management is fully cooperative and will adhere to all requirements before it reopens to customers.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hepatitis A is usually transmitted through person-to-person contact (an infected person touchs an object or food without washing his hands after using the restroom) or food and water contamination (due to poor sanitary conditions when storing frozen or undercooked food).
