Health department fields hundreds of calls about possible hepatitis A exposures in Spanish Fork

It's the gift that keeps on giving! California's hepatitis has moved on to Utah.

People who went to the Sonic Drive-In on 971 Main Street in Spanish Fork, or the Olive Garden at 1092 North Canyon Creek Parkway in Spanish Fork may have been exposed by two employees, according to Steven Mickelson, Director of Nurses for the Utah County Health Department.

Apparently, one state's lack of ability to get a handle on their problem has now been passed to another state. If you ate at one of these two restaurants or took a pit stop there, you better make arrangements to get yourself vaccinated before you potentially spread the love on.

The Utah County Health Department says this is a particularly bad strain of hepatitis A.

"With this outbreak we’ve had 60% or thereabouts being hospitalized from hepatitis A; usually it's 20-30% end up being hospitalized," Mickelson said.

The health department is encouraging any customer who ate or used the restroom at the Sonic from Saturday December 23rd to Sunday December 24th, or the Olive Garden from Thursday December 21st through Saturday December 30th, to go get the vaccine right now.

"If you become an exposure and have not been vaccinated, we highly recommend preventing illness through vaccination," Mickelson said.

Before you actively get ill, you can still get the shot and have it work on you. I've been to this rodeo when I was a kid. This same scenario happened when I was at camp.

This disease spreads through poor hygiene, so make sure you keep yours up.

Cali,
Michigan,
Now utah.

Wash your damn hands people!

a reply to: Bluntone22

Those that spread germs by not properly washing won't read this either.

googled

Man....some people are disgusting. How freaking hard is it to wash your hands? Especially since every restaurant has signs everywhere telling you to wash your hands. But I guess it is hard to comprehend the written English language when the only thing you ever read is texting shorthand in 140 character bursts.

a reply to: ketsuko

Sorry to hear that, particularly if you live in Utah. Take heed! Friends don't let friends eat at restaurants like Olive Garden, especially those of us who know who is working in the back of the house, i.e., the kitchens. And, in case you are an investor, don't buy restaraunt stocks! At this point its like trying to catch a falling knife. Chain stores are going the way of the Malls and the movie industry!

This is really gross. It's very simple to follow proper food prep procedures.