THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, September 14, 1996 TAG: 9609140261
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
DATELINE: KILL DEVIL HILLS LENGTH: 30 lines
The Dare County Health Department announced Friday that a case of hepatitis A occurred in a food worker employed at Port O' Call Restaurant in Kill Devil Hills.
Health officials warn that people who ate at the restaurant between Aug. 30 and Sept. 10 may be at risk of developing hepatitis A. They should receive an injection of immune globulin if their exposure occurred within the past 14 days. They should contact their physician immediately, officials said.
They may obtain the immunization free through the Dare County Health Department Clinic, at 200 Ananias Dare St., in Manteo. Immunizations will be given Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m.
The disease is not life-threatening and varies in severity, with mild cases lasting two weeks or less and more severe cases lasting four to six weeks or longer. Early signs and symptoms appear two to six weeks after exposure and commonly include mild fever, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, tiredness, pain in the upper right abdomen, dark urine, and jaundice (yellowness of eyes or skin).
Port O'Call restaurant is inoculating all employees and is taking precautions to prevent the spread of the disease, health officials said. Owner Frank Gojar said the case appeared to be isolated, and the infected worker is undergoing treatment and not working.
For details, call the Health Department at (919) 475-1050. by CNB