《TAIPEI TIMES》Costco frozen berries test positive for hepatitis A

RECALL: Anyone who bought berries from the batch in which the virus was found can return them to Costco, and clinics are to report associated cases

By Hsu Li-chuan / Staff reporter

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A brand of frozen berries sold at Costco yesterday tested positive for hepatitis A, the Kaohsiung Department of Health said.

The US last month reported that five people tested positive for hepatitis A, likely due to consuming store-bought frozen berries, after which a number of brands recalled their products from retailers.

The department yesterday said that on April 11 it asked Costco to remove frozen berries from its shelves as a preventive measure, and began sample inspections on five brands of frozen berry products.

After tests on the Kirkland Signature Three Berry Blend imported from Chile yesterday showed it was positive for hepatitis A virus, the department ordered the product to be removed and destroyed following legal procedures, the department said.

No cases of hepatitis A linked to the product have been reported, it said.

People who have purchased products from the same batch, which has an expiration date marked “2023/09/19,” can return it to Costco or call a service line at （02）449-9909 for more information, it said.

The department has asked hospitals and clinics to report cases possibly linked to the product, it said.

Food business operators should stop using, processing or selling the product, and they should report it on the Food Business Registration Web site or the Web sites of local health departments, it said.

The hepatitis A virus is mainly transmitted through the fecal-oral route through contaminated food or water, and has an incubation period of about 15 to 50 days, it said.

Common symptoms include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, vomiting, stomach pain and yellowing of the skin, it said, adding that most cases recover naturally and provide lifelong immunity.

People with chronic hepatitis and immunocompromised people are advised to get a hepatitis A vaccine within two weeks of consuming the product, it said.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES