Hepatitis A warning issued for Amherst Tim Hortons after single case detected

Public Health officials are urging anyone who ate or drank at a Tim Hortons in Amherst, N.S., earlier this month to see a primary health-care provider if they develop symptoms consistent with those of a hepatitis A infection.

Nova Scotia's health authority said it is investigating a single confirmed case of the virus in the area, and while the risk to the public is low, it issued a public warning Monday to customers who were at the Tim Hortons at 118 South Albion St. between May 30 and June 15.

Symptoms of hepatitis A are "generally mild," according to a news release, and include fever, loss of appetite, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal discomfort. The person's urine can darken and their skin and eyes can yellow, a sign of jaundice, after a few days.

Dr. Cristin Muecke, the medical officer of health for Nova Scotia's northern zone, wouldn't confirm whether the infected person is an employee of the Tim Hortons, as that is personal health information. 

One of the challenges with the virus, Muecke said, is the incubation period between a person becoming infected and finally falling sick is as long as 30 days. Not only that, people can be infectious up to two weeks before they even develop symptoms.

"Hepatitis is one of those infections that tends to get more severe as you get older," Muecke said in an interview.

Illness from hepatitis A

The news release said some who are infected with hepatitis A have no symptoms, while in many cases, people are ill for a week or two and recover without treatment. In some cases, however, illness can last several months or cause serious liver damage.

Muecke said hepatitis A is "relatively uncommon" in Canada, and tends to be associated with travel outside the country.

Unlike hepatitis B and C, which are transmitted through blood and sometimes sexual contact, hepatitis A is more commonly transmitted through the "fecal-oral route" stemming from inadequate handwashing, she said.

Public Health said it will be offering people who are at higher risk of being infected a vaccine to help prevent them from becoming ill. 

"It's unlikely that anyone who is just casually going to this Tim Hortons for a coffee will be considered to be at higher risk," Muecke said. "But certainly we want people to be aware of the possibility."

She said the Tim Hortons has been helping Public Health when it needs to track down employees, and supported the public advisory that was sent out Monday.

The Public Health Agency of Canada says on its website that food and water can become contaminated with hepatitis A when an infected person doesn't wash their hands properly after using the bathroom or after giving care to someone who is infected.

CBC News has been unable to reach anybody at the Tim Hortons location or its owner.