Hepatitis Outbreak Linked To Stawberries Sold At These RI Stores

RHODE ISLAND — The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) warned residents Tuesday that an outbreak of hepatitis A cases in the United States and Canada may be linked to organic strawberries sold in Rhode Island and other states.

State health officials said the strawberries were sold under the brand names FreshKampo and HEB and were sold between March 5 and April 25. While the strawberries are past shelf life, those who froze the berries for later consumption should throw the berries out immediately, regulators said.

The strawberries recalled were sold at the following stores in Rhode Island and across the United States and Canada:

• Aldi
• HEB
• Kroger
• Safeway
• Sprouts Farmers Market
• Trader Joe's
• Walmart
• Weis Markets
• WinCo Foods

"If you are unsure of what brand you purchased, when you purchased your strawberries, or where you purchased them from prior to freezing them, the strawberries should be thrown away," the FDA said in a statement.

As of Tuesday, there have been no reported illnesses in Rhode Island associated with the recall. Trace back investigations show cases in California, Minnesota and Canada.

Hepatitis A illness usually occurs within 15 to 50 days after eating contaminated food, according to the FDA. Symptoms include fatigue, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, jaundice, dark urine and pale stool. Chronic hepatitis A infection can lead to severe health problems, including liver failure and death.

Contact your healthcare provider if you think you may have symptoms of a hepatitis A infection, or if you believe that you have eaten these strawberries in the last two weeks.

Correction: A previous version of this story erroneously stated that Whole Foods was part of the recall. That information came from the Rhode Island Department of Health, which later said the store was mistakenly included.