Hepatitis A confirmed in food work at Tim Hortons Milbourne Market Mall

Alberta Health Services (AHS) says they’ve confirmed a case of hepatitis A at Tim Hortons Milbourne Market Mall.

The individual is an employee who prepared food while they were infectious.

The public health warning stresses that anyone who ate at the restaurant from Feb. 20 to Mar. 5, 2025, may have been exposed to hepatitis A.

AHS says anyone who ate at the restaurant between Mar. 1 and Mar. 5, may still be eligible for post-exposure immunization and should call Health Link at 1-866-301-2668.

“Post-exposure immunization can only be provided within 14 days after an exposure and can prevent illness from occurring. The single dose of vaccine provided at the clinic is sufficient to protect a potentially affected individual from this hepatitis A exposure.”

This means that anyone who ate at the Tim Horton’s between Feb. 20 to Feb. 28 are no longer eligible for post-exposure immunization.

Everyone is advised to watch for symptoms of disease for 50 days after potential exposure and contact their physician if they develop any symptoms.

Symptoms of hepatitis A may include: tiredness; poor appetite; nausea and vomiting; abdominal pain and fever; followed by dark-coloured urine, light-coloured stools, and yellowing of eyes and skin several days later. Some people, especially young children, may get hepatitis A infection without noticing any symptoms; however, they are still infectious to others.

Additionally, Hepatitis A is an infection of the liver caused by a virus. Spread through the fecal-oral route, individuals primarily contract hepatitis A through direct contact with an infected person; however, individuals can also contract the illness indirectly by ingestion of contaminated food or water.

AHS adds that “if an infected individual does not properly wash their hands after using the washroom, the virus can be transmitted through food and beverages prepared by the infected individual.”