ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A dishwasher at the Cafe Gala inside the Dali Museum in downtown St. Petersburg tested positive for hepatitis A.
This latest reported case dates back a month ago.
According to a spokesperson for the museum, the staff at Cafe Gala was notified of the case on June 28. The employee's last day working at the museum was on June 17.
Since that person was a dishwasher and not involved in food prep, it was considered a very low-level health threat. That's why there was no public health warning and no further actions were taken. However, the health department did meet with cafe employees and any staff members who weren't vaccinated to do so just as a precaution.
Also, Cafe Gala has now added a policy that requires all future staff members to be vaccinated before they begin working there.
The surge in hepatitis A this year is significant. The latest numbers from the Florida Department of Health show Pasco and Pinellas counties have the highest reported cases in the state with more than 300 each. There have been more than 1,800 cases of hepatitis A reported in the state this year, which more than triples last year and it's only July.
Hepatitis A is preventable. The best way to do that is by getting vaccinated. According to the Florida Department of Health, it's been recommended children get vaccinated between the age of 1 and 2.
If you're not sure if you've had the vaccine or are concerned about being exposed to hepatitis A, you can always reach out to your local health department or talk to your doctor.
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