As companies and consumers check their freezers, past menus and, receipts, health officials anticipate that confirmed cases will continue to grow (The Age):
The number of cases of Hepatitis A linked to the consumption of frozen berries imported from China has climbed to at least 14.
Thirty-four government schools have advised the Victorian Education Department that some of their students have consumed berries that have been recalled because of the hepatitis A imported frozen berry outbreak.
The number of schools affected suggests that potentially hundreds of students ate berries from one of four lines of frozen berries before they were recalled in recent days by Bairnsdale-based food company Patties Foods.
Another example of questioning the world of epidemiology; gotta be tough to be an epi (Business Insider Australia):
On its website, Patties Foods says “The link between our products and the reported illnesses has not yet been confirmed,” in response to its own question about meeting medical costs.
“This makes it too early to comment,” the company said.
The local-food-is-safer contingent is out – without data (Sunshine Coast Daily):
Long-time Chevallum strawberry farmer Rick Twist, co-owner of Twist Brothers, said he could not understand why people continued to risk purchasing overseas products to save a few dollars when the integrity of local produce was so much higher.
“Why the hell do people buy this stuff from those countries when their standards are so low and ours are so high?” Mr Twist said.
“Australian berries… our regulations are so tight and so strong, I think they’re the best in the world.”
And the outbreak has hit rugby (Yahoo News):
The Tigers confirmed on Tuesday that three senior players had approached club management on Monday with concerns that berries they ate may have been contaminated.
Captain Robbie Farah and veteran winger Pat Richards were later named in news reports as two players who underwent precautionary blood tests for the virus.
[Coach Jason] Taylor declined to name the trio of players but said they had shown no symptoms and the club had no confirmed cases of infection.
“It’s really simple. A couple of guys have eaten some of the berries that have been recalled, and that’s the end of the story,” Taylor said.
“We’re not overly concerned about it. We’re just being really cautious. It’s a smart move to make sure we are ticking all the boxes and all the guys are OK.
“We don’t feel that is going to come to that point (of infection) but we are doing due diligence on it.”
Some good amateur medical assessment there, Coach Taylor.
