If you or a loved one has recently been diagnosed with Hepatitis A after consuming Fresh Kampo or HEB branded organic strawberries, you may have a claim against the manufacturers.
Symptoms of Hepatitis A Virus (HAV) usually occur within 15 to 20 days after eating or drinking contaminated food or water. However, some people suffering from HAV never develop symptoms. Symptoms include:
Yellow skin or eyes
Not wanting to eat
Upset stomach / Nausea
Vomiting
Fever
Dark urine
Light-colored stool
Diarrhea
Joint pain
Tiredness
The multistate outbreak of Hepatitis A is currently being investigated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Public Health Agency of Canada, and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. As of June 2022, there have been 17 Hepatitis A cases linked to the outbreak resulting in 12 hospitalizations. The outbreak has been tied to Minnesota, California, North Dakota, and Canada; however, the organic strawberries were distributed nationwide.
The potentially contaminated organic strawberries were imported from Baja California, Mexico, and branded as FreshKampo and HEB by a common supplier. The strawberries were sold at a variety of retailers, including:
HEB
Kroger
Safeway
Sprouts Farmers Market
Trader Joe’s
Walmart
Weis Markets
WinCo Foods
FreshKamp issued a statement following the outbreak: “FreshKamp wants consumers to know that it will continue to work with health officials and supply chain partners to determine where a problem may have occurred along the supply chain and take necessary measures to prevent it from happening again.”
The best by date of the organic strawberries has expired, but the FDA is concerned about individuals contracting the Hepatitis A virus if they froze the strawberries and intend to eat them later. The FDA gave the following advice: “Do not eat, serve, or sell FreshKampo or HEB brand organic strawberries purchased between March 5, 2022, and April 25, 2022.” The FDA recommends throwing out any organic strawberries purchased during the time period under the FreshKampo and HEB brands.
What is Hepatitis A?
The Hepatitis A Virus is a contagious virus that can cause liver disease. “Hepatitis” means inflammation of the liver. When the liver is inflamed or damaged, its function can be affected. An HAV infection can be mild and last for a few weeks or be severe and last for several months. In the most severe cases that usually affect individuals with pre-existing health conditions or weakened immune systems, HAV can cause liver failure and even death.
HAV infections can be transmitted by being in close contact with an infected person, or by eating or drinking contaminated food or water.
How GoldenbergLaw Can Help You
If you or a loved one developed Hepatitis A after eating potentially contaminated organic strawberries, contact the Food Safety Attorneys at GoldenbergLaw today. Our team has served our clients for over 35 years and provides the Gold Standard of advocacy. Contact us today to learn about how we can help you!
