According to the Monmouth County Health Department, in September 2023, a hepatitis A exposure occurred at the Cardinal Provisions restaurant in Asbury Park, New Jersey. The company notified the health department of the employee’s diagnosis. The site is located at 513 Bangs Avenue, Asbury Park.
Public health officials visited the facility and conducted inspections. They found no evidence of food safety violations. The facility voluntarily closed and will not reopen until all employees exposed to the virus have been vaccinated.
The employee worked on September 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14 and 21, 2023, while he was infected. Anyone who consumed food or beverages at Cardinal Provisions on these dates may have been exposed to hepatitis A and should consider getting vaccinated.
The hepatitis A vaccine is only effective if given within two weeks of exposure. This means anyone arriving there on September 21, 2023 will still be eligible to receive the vaccine. Anyone who is there on other days should monitor their health for hepatitis A symptoms.
Hepatitis A is a viral infection of the liver that can cause illness within 50 days of exposure. Infected people are contagious for the first two weeks after exposure, but they do not develop symptoms during this time. Symptoms of the disease include nausea, loss of appetite, tiredness, fever, stomach and abdominal pain (especially in the right upper quadrant), dark urine, diarrhea, light clay-colored stools, and jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes).
The best way to prevent the spread of this infection is to get vaccinated. Additionally, anyone who is sick, especially someone with diarrheal disease, should stay home from work or school until fully recovered. If you visit Cardinal Provisions on the above dates and become sick, please see your doctor.