Hepatitis outbreak linked to frozen berries.

79 Now Ill In Frozen Berry Hepatitis A Outbreak
WA now reporting cases
By News Desk | June 7, 2013

The hepatitis A outbreak linked to a frozen berry mix sold at Costco and Harris Teeter stores has now sickened 79 people, 30 of whom were hospitalized, federal health officials reported Friday.
http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/Outbreaks/2013/A1b-03-31/index.html
Cases have been reported in eight western states, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Washington, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The illnesses have been linked to an organic mix of frozen berries and pomegranate seeds distributed by Oregon’s Townsend Farms. The berry blend was sold at Costco under the Townsend Farms brand and at Harris Teeter under the Harris Teeter brand.

To date, no cases have been reported on the East Coast, where Harris Teeter stores are located. CDC confirms that no cases have been linked to berries bought at Harris Teeter.

Of the 55 patients interviewed, 40 (or 73 percent) report eating Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend prior to falling ill. A majority (65 percent) of these 55 victims are women.

Illness onset dates range from March 16 of this year through June 1, when the latest illness is known to have started. However, due to the lag time between when a person falls ill and their illness is reported, recent cases may not yet have been counted.

Detailed information about the recalled product is available on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s website.
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm355166.htm

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2013/06/79-now-ill-in-frozen-berry-hepatitis-a-outbreak/