Raw Ahi Sold At Several Oahu Outlets Tests Positive For Hepatitis A
The frozen tuna聽imported from Indonesia聽was sold from April 27 to Monday, according to the state Health Department.
The announced Tuesday that frozen ahi cubes distributed to a dozen grocery stores and food establishments on Oahu have tested positive for .
The raw fish, imported from Indonesia by and used to prepare poke, was sold from聽April 27 to Monday at and locations in Aiea, Kailua, Kaneohe, Kunia, Liliha, Mililani, Waipahu and Waimanalo.
It was also served or sold at , the in Kapolei, Aloha Sushi near , and the 聽outlet at 205 Lewers St. in Waikiki.
The department said the product is being voluntarily recalled, and decontamination procedures are being conducted聽at all affected facilities.
“Times Supermarket and Tropic Fish notified the department as soon as they learned of the test results on the imported fish,” Peter Oshiro, chief of the department’s food safety program, said in a statement. “All of the product is being traced, collected and held by the distributor. Fortunately, in this case, Tropic Fish Hawaii kept excellent records and has been contacting all retailers and pulling the product quickly.”
Janice Okubo, a department spokeswoman, said no infections have been reported, but聽hepatitis A has an incubation period of several weeks.
The department said those who have been exposed to the product should monitor their symptoms — such as fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, abdominal discomfort, dark urine, diarrhea, and yellow skin and eyes — for up to 50 days.
Dr. Sarah Park, state epidemiologist, said getting a vaccine now can also provide protections.
“Because it generally takes two weeks for those infected to develop symptoms of hepatitis A, vaccination or immune globulin can still provide some protection against the disease for those who may have been exposed in the last week,” Park said in a statement.
Tuesday’s announcement came nearly a year after the state’s worst hepatitis A outbreak in decades sickened hundreds, leading to temporary closure of 11 Genki Sushi locations that had served tainted frozen scallops.
Dozens of victims eventually filed lawsuits against Genki Sushi and its distributors.
