Hepatitis A Warning Issued for Provincetown Restaurant

Massachusetts health officials have warned that anyone who dined at The Red Inn in Provincetown between April 30 and May 15 may have been exposed to hepatitis A after a food service worker tested positive for the virus. Customers are urged to contact their healthcare provider immediately for preventive treatments like the hepatitis A vaccine or immune globulin, which are most effective within two weeks of exposure and before symptoms appear. Hepatitis A is a highly contagious virus transmitted primarily through contaminated food, drinks, or close personal contact. Early symptoms include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and jaundice, but some cases—especially in children—may be mild or unnoticed yet still contagious. People aged 34 or younger may already be vaccinated, as the vaccine has been recommended since the early 1990s. Health officials continue to advise thorough handwashing to prevent further spread.