Alberta Health Services (AHS) has issued an alert, after a case of Hepatitis A was confirmed in an individual, working at two locations of a fast food restaurant in the Edmonton area.

AHS officials said a case of Hepatitis A had been confirmed in a worker at two locations of Edo Japan – one at Manning Town Centre in Edmonton (15426 37 Street) and Tudor Glen South in St. Albert (3510 Tudor Glen Market).

As a result, AHS said customers who ate food from those locations, between June 13 and 18, and June 21 and 28 may have been exposed to the infection.

Officials said the risk of infection is low, but the infection can be spread very easily.

“We believe this risk to be relatively low, the practices at the restaurant were excellent so that should go a long way to prevent transmission,” Dr. Joanna Oda with AHS said Tuesday. “However, Hepatitis A is easily spread, so that’s why we’re recommending people monitor themselves for symptoms.”

There is no ongoing risk of infection from either locations, AHS said, as both have been cleaned, inspected and approved to be safe by AHS inspectors.

AHS said Hepatitis A is an infection in the liver, caused by a virus – it is primarily spread through direct contact with an infected person, but it can also be spread indirectly by consuming contaminated food or water.

If an infected person doesn’t wash his or her hands after using the washroom, the virus can be transmitted through food and beverages prepared by that person.

Officials said illness can occur between 15 and 50 days after exposure, but usually takes place within 28 and 30 days – and people can be infectious for one to two weeks before symptoms occur, until about a week after the onset of the illness.

Symptoms of Hepatitis A include tiredness, poor appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and fever, followed by dark-coloured urine, light-coloured stools, and yellowing of eyes and skin days later.

AHS said while most healthy individuals will experience a mild illness, the main concern is for people with pre-existing liver conditions.

AHS is asking anyone who develops symptoms between June 27 and August 17 to contact Health Link at 811 immediately.

People who have had Hepatitis A in the past, or who have received vaccinations for it, are not at risk of infection.

With files from Carmen Leibel