Hepatitis A Outbreak Linked To Popular Hawaii Sushi Chain

Hawaii is experiencing one of the largest hepatitis A outbreaks the United States has seen in the last decade, with 206 confirmed cases, including 51 that required hospitalization, since the outbreak started in June. 

State officials used an online population survey to find the source of the outbreak, announcing last week that frozen scallops served raw at Genki Sushi, a popular conveyor belt sushi chain, were likely the source. The FDA later confirmed that scallops infected with the hepatitis A virus were imported from the Philippines and served at the restaurants.

The state has since embargoed the scallops, shut down 11 Genki Sushi locations across the islands of Oahu and Kauai, and asked the restaurants to get rid of all their food supplies and single-use items, such as cups and napkins.

Sea Port Products Corp. voluntarily recalled its frozen scallops, which were also supplied to restaurants in California and Nevada.

Hepatitis A is a highly contagious liver infection that typically spreads through contaminated food and water, though the disease is preventable by vaccination. Common symptoms include fever, fatigue, headache and yellow eyes and skin. Though death by the virus is highly unusual, the disease can range from mild symptoms that last one to two weeks to a severe illness that lasts for several months. 

Though none of Genki Sushi’s 400 employees have contracted the disease themselves, 70 percent of the confirmed hepatitis A patients had eaten at Genki Sushi, state officials said. The source of the other 30 percent is still under investigation.

Over the past three months, employees at food establishments across Hawaii have come down with the infection, putting many of their unvaccinated customers at a risk of contracting the virus, according to Hawaii News Now.