Three now sick in township
HAMILTON – Health officials confirmed on Thursday that two more Hepatitus A cases have been confirmed and may be linked to a local restaurant.
According to a township press release, the Hamilton Township Division of Health has been informed of two additional Hepatitis A cases which were confirmed during the New Year’s holiday.
In the first additional case, the second case in community, the Division of Health was informed by Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in Hamilton and the New Jersey Department of Health late on Dec. 31 that a case of Hepatitis A was confirmed in an employee of The Hair Port Salon, located at 3144 South Broad Street, the release said.
This employee has been released from the hospital and is presently recovering at home.
Township health officials warn that all staff members and patrons of this establishment who visited the salon from Dec. 4-31may be at risk for developing Hepatitis A if they have not been previously vaccinated with the Hepatitis A vaccine, according to the release.
Unvaccinated individuals who have visited the salon during the above time period should receive an injection of immune globulin or Hepatitis A vaccine as soon as possible, officials said. Unvaccinated Hamilton Township residents should contact their primary care provider or the Hamilton Township Division of Health at (609) 890-3884 for more information and direction, according to the release.
Residents from other communities should also contact their primary care provider or their local community Division of Health.
In the second additional case, the third case in community, the Township Division of Health was informed by the New Jersey Department of Health on Thursday that a case of Hepatitis A was confirmed in a part-time fitness instructor at the Hamilton Area YMCA’s JKR Branch located at 1315 Whitehorse-Mercerville Road.
Officials said the instructor also serves at a fitness instructor at the New Jersey Athletic Club, located at 4152 Quakerbridge Road in Lawrenceville and is also an employee of the Mercer County Board of Social Services, located at 200 Woolverton Street in Trenton.
This fitness instructor is presently recovering at home, officials said.
Officials warn that all staff members and patrons who visited the Hamilton Area YMCA’s JKR Branch, the New Jersey Athletic Club in Lawrenceville or the Mercer County Board of Social Services in Trenton from Dec. 5-29 may be at risk for developing Hepatitis A if they have not been previously vaccinated with the Hepatitis A vaccine.
As in the other case, officials advide unvaccinated Hamilton Township residents to contact their primary care provider or the Hamilton Township Division of Health for more information and direction.
Residents from other communities should also contact their primary care provider or their local community Division of Health.
During routine questioning by Hamilton Township Health officials it was confirmed that both individuals in these two additional cases had eaten at or from Rosa’s Restaurant and Catering located at 3442 South Broad Sreet during the first confirmed Hepatitis A case in November, according to the release.
Hamilton Township’s Division of Health cannot say with any certainty, however, that the two additional cases were a direct result from the original infection or case.
Health officials and personnel will be available for Hamilton residents who contact the Division of Health on Friday by calling (609) 890-3884 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., according to the release.
Officials have also scheduled a 2 p.m. press conference for Friday afternoon at the HamStat Call Center Training Room located a 5 Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. Way to provide information and answer questions to the media and public.
The early signs and symptoms of Hepatitis A appear 2-6 weeks after exposure and commonly include the following:
Mild fever
Loss of appetite
Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhea/ “Clay-colored” stool
Tiredness
Pain in the upper right side of the abdomen under the rib cage
Dark urine and jaundice (yellowing of the eyes or skin)
Additional information regarding Hepatitis A can be viewed at the following website: http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/ChooseA.htm.
According to the release, the disease varies in severity, with mild cases lasting two weeks or less and the more severe cases lasting 4-6 weeks or longer.
However, even persons with mild symptoms can be highly infectious. Persons with symptoms suggestive of Hepatitis A should consult a physician even if symptoms are mild.
Hamilton Township will post any further updates on the Hamilton Township website (www.HamiltonNJ.com) and on its social media sites to keep residents informed, the release said.