Australian health types should be further embarrassed by their lack of disclosure, public notification and political pandering after it was revealed today that the first case of hepatitis A linked to frozen berries was diagnosed on January 3 but it took more than a month to recall the berries from supermarkets.

Senate Estimates has been told there were three cases of Hepatitis A diagnosed in Victoria between January 3 and February 6.

Experts investigated to find a common link between the affected patients and identified the common factor as Nanna’s 1kg frozen mixed berries.

This meant it was not until February 12 that Ausfoodnet Victoria informed a national network of food regulators of the three cases.

It then took another two days before food company Patties announced a voluntary recall of the berries from supermarket shelves on February 14.

It was not until February 17 the government set up a national incident room to deal with the outbreak which has now spread to 18 people.

Australia’s Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Baggoley said before the incident room was set up, epidemiologists and other experts in food safety were already working on containing the Hepatitis outbreak.

Uh-huh.