Second death in hepatitis outbreak (1 Chi Chi's restaurant 410 sick )

[RamboLiberal]

This has been a huge story in Pittsburgh, PA area. First thought that maybe an employee didn't wash hands, now thinking is it was in food supply. I think this goes to relaxtion of food safety regulations, poor farm workers conditions and possibly NAFTA. Article has good insights in to how poor working conditons could be culprit. BTW, this outbreak is occurring in Melissa Hart territory, one of the Bush butt kissing fresman reps.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/03318/239715.stm

A diabetic Hopewell woman, one of some 410 people who have come down with hepatitis A after eating at a Chi-Chi's restaurant in Beaver County, has died of liver failure.

She is the second person to die in the outbreak.

<snip>

Federal officials describe the outbreak as one of the worst ever, noting that hepatitis A outbreaks like this one originating in one restaurant typically sicken between 25 and 200 people.

<snip>

In response to the outbreak, Chi-Chi's is removing green onions from its salsas, garnishes and every other item on its menu at restaurants across the country. Green onion contamination has not been identified as the cause of the outbreak, but it is emerging as a prime suspect, due in part to recent hepatitis A outbreaks at restaurants in Georgia and Tennessee.

<snip>

Lab tests this past weekend showed the virus matches a strain commonly found in Mexico, said John Stella, regional food safety inspector for the state Department of Agriculture. That helped turn the ongoing outbreak investigation toward consideration of a contaminated food source as the likely cause.

[depakid]

1. Get the Hep A vacination series

My Ex and I did (mostly for overseas travel) but hey, I've never worried about losing my liver to restaurant food since.

[boilerbabe]

2. This is serious!! Not something that you would expect to encounter in the

U.S. I went to Guyana a few years ago for my work, and got vaccinated for Hep A. I was told not to eat any salads, drink the water, etc. Most people with somewhat healthy immune systems may contract the disease and if they get diagnosed, will survive, but those who have weakened immune systems, such as the ones you discussed, are pretty much hosed.
Wow. You can't even prevent such a thing in a country that assumes that all sanitary concerns have already been addressed!!
What should be done now??
I feel that this country has been eroded in so many areas, now you add this one to the huge list of offences!! Where do we begin to address this??

[RamboLiberal]

3. We address by getting rid of Bush and Repug congress

And making sure we elect represenatives that protect us not their campain contributors. We also need serious campaign reform and lobbying reform. We also need to upgrade worker's rights both here in U.S. and in our trade agreements. And I think we need an Upton Sinclair of our media age.

[Cronus Protagonist]

4. We need to get the evil doers and make them pay for it

This kind of terrorism from latin america cannot be allowed to continue. The possible consequences of contaminating the US food supply with biological weapons and fatal viruses cannot be over extimated.

Let's Roll!

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[Cronus Protagonist]

5. Sorry, I freepered out for a second (eom)

Click Here To See Fair & Balanced Buttons, Stickers & Magnets

[corarose]

6. Onions, Garlic and anything that touches manure

Can give you hepatitis A and I can bet the farm that they were not washed to save the money on an extra few employees.

[beyurslf]

7. Chi Chi's?

That placed closed down here YEARS ago. I was a kid!

[davidinalameda]

8. the chain is in bankruptcy

guess they're not getting out of it any time soon

[RamboLiberal]

9. 3rd Person has died - 46 year old man

In this area all the Chi Chi's parking lots and restaurants look like ghost towns.

[spinbaby]

10. Link to the third death

http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/health/2635716/detail.html