State health officials are warning recent patrons of Cap’n Fish’s Boothbay Harbor Boat Trips may have be at risk for acute hepatitis A virus infection.
An announcement Saturday from the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention said a food service worker prepared food while infectious from Aug. 18 through Sept. 8, and that patrons of the Boothbay Harbor business may be exposed. Hepatitis A is a contagious liver disease, whose symptoms can range from mild illness to severe sickness that could require hospitalization.
The business provides scenic cruises and whale-watching trips for visitors to the region.
To reduce the likelihood of illness, the Maine CDC recommends that anyone who ate, drank or worked at Boothbay Harbor Boat Trips in Maine on Sept. 2, 4, and 5 should get the hepatitis A vaccine. People with compromised immune systems, or parents of children younger than 12 months, should consult a health care provider about receiving hepatitis A immune globulin.
People who visited the Cap’n Fish’s Boothbay Harbor Boat Trips on Aug. 19, 21, 22, 23 24, 26, 28, 29 and 30 could have been exposed but are outside the window for which the vaccine could help prevent illness from this exposure, said the Maine CDC. Those individuals should watch for symptoms and seek medical attention if they develop any symptoms.
The state agency is working with the business owner and local health care providers to notify affected parties and minimize risk of further exposure.