Joe Malinconico and Joshua Jongsma, Paterson Press and North Jersey Record
Published 6:08 p.m. ET Oct. 12, 2019 | Updated 7:04 p.m. ET Oct. 13, 2019CLOSE
According to the Florida Health Department, hepatitis A is a highly contagious disease that attacks the liver. and the est way to avoid the virus is through diligent cleanliness and a vaccine.
Wochit, WochitEmployees at a Paterson produce store who worked with a food handler who tested positive for hepatitis A will be screened for the disease, the company said. Brothers Produce on East Railway Avenue will remain open for business after state health officials confirmed the hepatitis A case Friday. All of the produce at the store from Sept. 30 to Oct. 5, when the possible exposure happened, has been thrown away, Brothers said in a statement issued Saturday.”Brothers Produce is a family-run business that has been in Paterson for over two decades,” the statement read. “Our family’s first priority has always been and remains the health and safety of our customers and employees.”The statement indicated that the employee with hepatitis no longer works there.The New Jersey Health Department urged consumers who may have bought produce from Brothers during that time span to throw it out and get vaccinated. The state has provided the Paterson Health Department with limited supplies of the vaccine, known as post-exposure prophylaxis, or PEP, to be distributed to people without medical insurance.Paterson news: Two men cleared of murder after 24 years in jail are now suing Paterson. Here’s why.Passaic County: William Paterson University to honor late jazz pianist with concert, scholarshipStaff will be providing PEP at the city health offices at 176 Broadway on Monday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., while supplies last.In order to be effective, the vaccine must be taken no later than two weeks after someone has eaten contaminated food, officials said.Hepatitis A is mainly spread through close person-to-person contact or through contaminated food, according to health officials. Symptoms, which usually appear three to four weeks after infection, include fever, feeling tired, poor appetite, dark yellow urine, stomach pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and yellow skin or eyes.For further information, call the Paterson Department of Health at 973-321-1277, ext. 2757. Frequently Asked Questions on hepatitis A are available at: https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/documents/faq/hepatitis_a_faq.pdf.Joshua Jongsma is a breaking news reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to all the major news happening in North Jersey, subscribe here. To get breaking news directly to your inbox, sign up for our newsletter. Email: jongsma@northjersey.com Twitter: @jongsmjoMore North Jersey newsFirefighters: Hackensack firefighter with cancer asks for platelet donations for everyone, not just himPassaic County: Passaic vigil remembers shooting victim, seeks to end violenceSupport local journalism=”left”>Covering our local communities takes time and resources. Readers help support these efforts with their subscriptions. Support our journalism and become a subscriber today. Click here for our special offers.=”left”>Read or Share this story: https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/passaic/paterson/2019/10/12/paterson-nj-business-screen-employees-where-worker-had-hepatitis/3962201002/
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