WASHINGTON, June 6 (Xinhua) -- At least 61 people in seven U.S. states have been infected in an outbreak of hepatitis A connected to frozen berries, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Infection said Thursday.
The cases, which are now seen in the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah, are expected to grow in numbers as the investigation continues, the CDC said on its website, adding that 11 people have been hospitalized but no deaths have been reported.
The outbreak, which began in April, may be linked to the Organic Antioxidant Blend frozen berry and pomegranate mix sold by an Oregon-based company called Townsend Farms, the CDC said.
Earlier this week, the company voluntarily recalled the frozen berry mixes, which were sold to Costco under the product name Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend, and Harris Teeter stores, under the product name Harris Teeter Organic Antioxidant Berry Blend, according to the Food and Drug Administration.
The company suspected that the culprit in the frozen berry mixes may be pomegranate seeds processed in Turkey, the FDA said.
Hepatitis A usually occurs when an infected food handler prepares food without appropriate hand hygiene. However, food contaminated with the hepatitis A virus, as is suspected in this outbreak, can cause outbreaks of disease among persons who eat or handle food.