BRAMPTON ON. (Feb. 16, 2012) – Peel Public Health has identified a case of Hepatitis A in an employee from the Harvey’s restaurant at 6430 Erin Mills Parkway in Mississauga. Any customer who consumed food purchased from this location on January 28 or 29, or February 4 or 5, 2012 may have been exposed to Hepatitis A.

Although the risk of infection is low, these customers should monitor their health for symptoms of Hepatitis A until the end of March. Symptoms can develop up to 50 days after exposure to Hepatitis A and include:

• fever
• loss of appetite
• nausea
• abdominal pain
• dark coloured urine
• jaundice (yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes).

The spread of Hepatitis A can be prevented by washing your hands well after using the toilet, after changing diapers and before handling or eating food. People who have received vaccination against Hepatitis A are protected against infection. To prevent future Hepatitis A infection, speak to your doctor about the Hepatitis A vaccine.

For more information on Hepatitis A, contact your family doctor or Peel Public Health at 905-799-7700. Caledon residents call free-of-charge at 905-584-2216.

The Regional Municipality of Peel was incorporated in 1974 on the principle that certain community and infrastructure services are most cost-effectively administered over a larger geographic area. The Region of Peel serves more than one million residents in the Cities of Mississauga and Brampton and the Town of Caledon.