County Health Officer Calms Hepatitis Fears

After a tainted bag of Costco organic berry mix sent a Santa Clara County woman to the hospital with Hepatitis A last week, consumers across the state have been concerned about the ailment and local food supply. 

When the Hepatitis case was reported, San Francisco Health Office Thomas Aragon said that anyone who ate the berry mix in the last two weeks should visit a doctor. The San Francisco Public Health Department also pointed out that anyone who has been vaccinated against Hepatitis A need not worry about contracting the disease.

While Hepatitis A is clearly a relevant issue, it is not one that should cause paralyzing fear, according to San Mateo County Health Officer Dr. Scott Morrow.

On the San Mateo County Health System Facebook page on Thursday afternoon, Morrow was quotes as saying the following:

"The U.S. food supply is the safest in the world. We don’t yet know what happened in this outbreak, but in general there are many regulations applied at all levels of our food supply to keep it from getting contaminated. Of course, some food, especially those from animal sources are never completely free from contamination. So it is important to always cook food from animal origin, including seafood and eggs. For fresh produce, it’s always important to wash it thoroughly before eating it."

In addition to the Hepatitis reports, San Mateo County has recorded its first two West Nile Virus cases of 2013. The Health System is encouraging all residents to remove any standing water on their properties, as mosquitoes carry the virus. 

To report dead birds or squirrels for West Nile inspection, call the West Nile Hotline at (877) 968-2473.