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Employee At Richmond BBQ Restaurant Diagnosed With Hepatitis A

Posted at 5:43 PM, Dec 10, 2018
and last updated 2018-12-10 18:11:06-05

RICHMOND, Ky. (LEX 18) – The Madison County Health Department confirms that a worker at Sonny’s BBQ in Richmond has been diagnosed with hepatitis A.

The restaurant is located on Center Drive in Richmond, Ky. The affected employee worked there from Nov. 18 and Dec. 1.

Hepatitis A is caused by a virus that is passed person to person through fecal-oral contact. The risk to patrons who ate at Sonny’s BBQ is very low.  However, individuals who ate there between November 18 – December 1, should watch for signs and symptoms of hepatitis A until January 20, 2019.

Symptoms of infection usually appear 15 to 50 days after exposure and can include: fever, jaundice, grey-colored stools, dark urine, abdominal pain, vomiting, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea and joint pain. Some people, especially children, may have no symptoms. This is why proper handwashing is critical. Symptoms usually resolve in 2 months but can last as long as 6 months. There is no treatment for Hepatitis A and some people require hospitalization. If you have these symptoms you should contact your primary care provider for testing.

Sonny’s BBQ has released a statement on the case:

At Sonny’s BBQ, the health and safety of our guests and employees are our top priorities.

Amid the current hepatitis A virus (HAV) outbreak in Kentucky, our team is and has been
taking necessary precautions by reinforcing sanitation protocols with team members and
requiring any team members who are experiencing symptoms to stay home and seek
immediate medical attention.

On December 7, we were notified by ACG BBQ LLC, a licensed franchisee, that lab
results for one team member at the Richmond Sonny’s BBQ came back positive for
hepatitis A. The team member has not been in the restaurant since December 1.

Upon receiving the lab results, ACG BBQ LLC immediately notified the Madison County
Health Department and is closely following all recommended procedures to protect guests
and team members. The restaurant, which most recently received a 96 out of 100 for safe
food handling on its health inspection, was promptly sanitized.

As an added precaution, ACG BBQ LLC is covering the costs for vaccines for all parttime
and full-time team members at all Kentucky Sonny’s BBQ locations. Should guests
have any questions or concerns, we welcome them visit the Kentucky Department for
Public Health website here for more information.

We are working diligently to ensure the safety of our guests and employees, and we are
committed to doing our part to keep everyone safe.