Suspicious case of hepatitis A reported at Panera Bread plant in Warren

WARREN, Ohio (WKBN) – An alleged case of hepatitis A was discovered this week in the Panera Bread plant located on Elm Road, according to the Trumbull County Health Department.

The plant is owned by Panera Bread and not Covelli Enterprises.

According to the company, the employee does not have direct contact with the food. Hepatitis A has not been diagnosed yet in anyone else.

The factory has been cleaned and sanitized since they were informed of the incident.

Factory employees prepare bread and pastries, which are then baked at various Panera Bread restaurants. The company said the risk of exposure would be minimal.

The Department of Health insists that there is a low risk to none for others.

Hepatitis A is a liver disease that can be transmitted through contaminated food and drink or through direct contact with an infected person, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

People with hepatitis A may experience symptoms such as fatigue, lack of appetite, stomach pain, nausea, and jaundice that usually disappear within two months of infection. According to the CDC, most children under 6 years of age have no symptoms or have an unrecognized infection.

The health department says that if you are concerned, you should get vaccinated. The disease can be prevented with a vaccine.

A factory employee said that the company was paying employees who wanted to be vaccinated, but that these vaccinations would not take place until next week.